How to Make Backpacking Fun for Kids

There’s a proverb among backpackers about the difference between type 1 and type 2 fun. Type 1 fun is fun in the moment, like playing in the pool in the summer or going to Disney World. Type 2 fun is not fun in the moment, but it is fun to look back on and tell stories about.

A lot of backpacking is type 2 fun. It’s not fun in the moment because maybe you are cold and wet or your backpack is digging into your hips and your feet hurt and all you have been doing all day is walking, but it makes for a good story once it is over.

Families need to have type 1 fun together, even on backpacking trips. Here are some tips from my kids for enjoying more moments of type 1 fun while hiking. 

Planning Your Route: 

1. Don’t overcommit to mileage; sometimes less is more. Plan margin for your trip because fun happens in the margins.
2. Be flexible with itinerary changes if the weather isn’t as expected or you need rest. Plan multiple exit strategies, and don’t be afraid to bail. 
3. Pack lighter than you’d think. After you’re done packing, challenge yourself to take 5 things out of your pack and leave at home. You’ll be grateful halfway through the hike. 
4. Don’t skimp on safety. 
5. Be whimsical. Emphasize appreciating the beauty and wonder around you on the trail. Nature has a way of awakening our imaginations. Bring a notebook and pencil and be open to letting your creativity flow as you feel inspired by God’s creation. 
6. Be mindful of the weather and bugs. For example, if you travel to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan in July, just know that you will be attacked by the kind of flies that can bite you through your hiking pants. 
7. Know your route well so that you can find your campsite at the end of the day. 
8. Plan a trip that lets you camp at the beach! Favorite beach campsites: North Manitou Island in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and Strawberry Point in Olympic National Park.

Your Attitude: 

1. Be incurably optimistic!
2. Understand that some moments will not be fun, but that’s okay because those are the moments that make develop grit.

On the trail: 

1. Bring candy. 
2. Ask playful questions like “Would you rather?” or make up a story. 
3. Sing songs.
4. Stop to play in lakes, rivers, and streams. 
5. Bring friends.
6. Bring disposable cameras and stop to take pictures. 
7. Avoid poison ivy and ticks. 
8. Bring a dog.

At camp: 

1. Play in water or fish.
2. Bring fun food.
3. Bring card games to play in camp and twinkle lights for the tent.
4. Build a fire. And if you build a fire, you must make s’mores.
5. Enjoy the wildlife. 
6. Bring sharp tools like axes, saws, or whittling knives.

At the end of your hike: 

1. Check for ticks.
2. Go out for cheeseburgers. 

To be continued!