3.5 years of outdoor adventures with my son

No surprise here - my son went on his first hike at 3 weeks, his first camping trip at 3 months, and his first backpacking trip at 6 months He's since been camping and hiking more than most people I know.

Here are my tips for taking babies and toddlers out into the woods:

Take your baby out young - get them used to a front carrier and backpack. Get them used to wearing hats/sunglasses/sunscreen. Get them used to getting their diaper changed in areas/temps/situations less than ideal. Then they will likely be happy campers as they get older.

Bring extra socks and mittens. Find shoes that will stay on their feet - if they're in a backpack and they kick off their shoes, you won't know unless someone is hiking behind you!

Attach a small hand-held mirror to the shoulder strap of your baby backpack - that way you can see your baby.

Your baby needs a pacifier? Then be sure to have a pacifier leash - and take an extra one or two. Needless to say, they get lost/dirty easy.

They make wipes especially to clean pacifiers - don't need to worry about any residue.

Leashes are also good for small lightweight toys that you can attach to the backpack to give them something to hold/play with as you're hiking. My son had a set of plastic "keys" that he liked to rattle as we're walking. Who needs a bear bell? lol

Bring a tarp/poncho - that way you can have a bigger surface for them to sit/roll/crawl in camp.

Travel Boppy pillows are great - for nursing, propping, sleeping, etc.

The first few times I took my son camping I used my down quilt around him at night, but found that once he started to roll he would roll out of it and get cold during the night - so I got him his own sleeping bag - a Kelty Woobie. It was the only bag I could find that was small enough for a baby. He loved his Woobie - it's soft inside and the perfect size for him to fit now but also grow into. He stayed snuggled all night long. Now that he's outgrown the Woobie we've gone back to using the down quilt.  

He's slept on both a Thermarest ultralight and a Ridgerest - doesn't seem to have a preference.

The best toy in camp? A headlamp. Get them their own because you'll never get yours back, lol

I have all sorts of ideas for nursing while hiking/camping, having done so, so if any new moms want some advice, email me carol at tarol dot com    Nursing is so much easier than bottles - especially in bear country where you'd have to lock up your formula in a canister, or hang it, at night.

I have a small lightweight changing pad that came with my diaper bag. It is nice to have something easy to wipe down if there is any sort of blow-out. I use ziplocs to contain the diaper, and then place all the used ziplocs in a plastic grocery type bag (Target bags are stronger/bigger than others), then I use a nylon re-usable grocery bag to contain it. The nylon bag is opaque so no one will know what's inside, and has handles so it's easy to attach to the outside of my pack when hiking out. The one thing I would say is always take more than you think you need - diapers, wipes, onesies, and ziplocs.

Let your kid have time to explore. Do not set up a rigid schedule - leave plenty of time for looking at rocks, splashing in water, playing with bugs and wandering off trail.

When my son started to walk I found it a little more difficult to go camping with him by myself - because he was so adventurous it was all I could just to keep up with him! But I soon learned a few tricks. #1 Jeep Stroller - it came in so handy! It was a place to put him while I set up camp, used the restroom, cooked, etc. It was mobile and easier to set up and took up less room than a playpen. And it goes where most strollers won't. I highly recommend every parent get one.

#2 Honda Pilot - When we bought this bigger vehicle it really opened up options for us - because we could comfortably sleep in the back and that meant no having to set up and take down a tent! So easy and fun and we go car camping all the time!  If you have a tent, keep your set-up as simple as possible.  

#3 Kid-friendly campgrounds - Research kid-friendly campgrounds - ones that not only afford access to beautiful outdoor locales but also have playgrounds, easy nature trails, nature centers, etc.

Matchbox type cars and a glow-in-the-dark frisbee ring are what we carry on our backpacking trips - both are light and are lots of fun to play with!  There is hardly a photo I have of my son where he is not clutching a little car in his hand.

When they start walking, Osh Kosh, Carters and Target make good pint-sized hiking boots and Keen-like sandals with toe protection that don't cost a fortune.  Deuter makes great toddler/pre-school sized daypacks. Eddie Bauer makes one with a leash - if you're hiking on a trail that has a drop-off this might be a good thing.

My son likes to use my hiking pole - it fully collapsed is the perfect size for him.  Put a rubber tip on it if you're concerned about little toes.

Little kids love to play in water - let them!  Throwing rocks in water is a favorite past time.  Bring a small hiking towel to dry them off afterwards and extra clothes and shoes!

Anyway, hope these tips are helpful and the trip reports below inspire you to get your kids outside! We truly feel that there's no better way to raise a happy healthy kid!

his first hike and first trip to Joshua Tree NP @ 3 weeks old www.tarol.com/firsthike.html

his first camping trip @ 3 months old www.tarol.com/1stcampingtrip.html

his first backpacking trip @ 6 months old www.tarol.com/seeleycreek2.html

his first beach and zoo trip www.tarol.com/sandiego12.html

first trip to the Salton Sea and a natural palm oasis www.tarol.com/saltonsea12.html

his first peak www.tarol.com/zanja

first trip to Mojave NP www.tarol.com/mojave13

first trip to Mommy's home town of Bishop, CA and first hike in Mommy's favorite Wilderness (John Muir) www.tarol.com/mammoth.html

his first fire lookout www.tarol.com/boulderbasin

first trip to Death Valley www.tarol.com/lonepine.html

first trip to see Giant Sequoias www.tarol.com/kernville.html

Second backpack trip www.tarol.com/hoegees.html

first trip to see Bristlecone Pines www.tarol.com/bristlecones.html

first trip to Anza-Borrego, largest state park in the Lower 48 www.tarol.com/poppyreserve3.html

first trip to the Poppy Reserve www.tarol.com/poppyreserve3.html

first trip to Yosemite www.tarol.com/yosemite14.html

first trip to Bishop Creek Canyon, where Mommy lived when she was a baby www.tarol.com/lonepine14.html

first hike longer than 4 miles www.tarol.com/explorationtrail14.html

first backpack trip on his own two feet www.tarol.com/stonehouse.html

first trip to Big Sur and seeing redwoods www.tarol.com/bigsur14.html

first time sledding in the snow www.tarol.com/snow15.html

first trip to Santa Monica Mountains NRA www.tarol.com/spring15.html

first backpack trip on the PCT www.tarol.com/littlejimmy.html

first bike ride beyond the sidewalk www.tarol.com/hannaflat15.html