Walking holidays with Children are a fantastic way for families to bond and explore nature and surroundings together. The Camino de Santiago, a popular network of walking routes in Europe, is a great example of such a holiday, with many family-friendly options too. So, here’s what you need to know about going on walking holidays with children!
Table of Contents
Choosing the right destination
When selecting a destination for walking holidays with children, consider factors such as distance, terrain, and points of interest. That will appeal to children. Look for trails that have scenic views. And child-friendly amenities. Such as playgrounds or picnic areas. Europe is home to numerous family-friendly trails, including the Camino de Santiago in Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy and the UK. The most important thing when taking walking holidays with children is researching their difficulty levels, making sure that the trail suits your family’s abilities and preferences.
PS: Our walking tour exploring the mesmerising Lucerne in Switzerland
Preparing for the trip
Proper preparation is key to successful walking holidays with children. Select appropriate gear for children. Such as comfortable hiking shoes, lightweight backpacks, and weather-appropriate clothing. When packing, focus on the essentials like snacks and water, as well as a first-aid kit. It’s always a good idea to engage children in the planning process by allowing them to choose their own backpacks or involving them in meal planning. To build excitement and stamina for your Camino de Santiago holiday, take regular family walks leading up to it. Encourage children to keep a journal or take photos to document their journey.
Activities and engagement on the trail
Walking holidays with family are fun and enriching. But they can at times get boring for the kids. Therefore, keep them engaged during the walk by incorporating different activities and games. For example, you could create a scavenger hunt list featuring items that they can spot along the trail, like plants or animals. Pay attention to unique landmarks or bird species – you can play games such as “I spy” to do so.
Additionally, consider incorporating educational elements into your holiday, to teach your children about their environment. And the importance of preserving it. For instance, you can bring age-appropriate guidebooks or journals which will help them record their observations. Foster curiosity and connection with nature, learning to appreciate it and this time together as a family. As a result, this trip will not only be a fun holiday, but also an opportunity for exciting adventures and personal growth.
On our Maharashtra Road Trip in India, we went strawberry plucking when exploring Mahabaleshwar with our kids. And it was such a beautiful experience for the kids to have! Also, it proved very engaging for them.
If you are walking in a historical place, do a bit of pre-research about your destination. And entertain your kids with information on the architecture, buildings, art, people etc. in the locality that you are exploring. This is what we did when we were walking the streets of Florence with our kid. Or, the time when we were exploring Fontainhas neighbourhood in Goa. Or, taking a walking tour of the White Town area in Pondicherry, India.
Safety and comfort tips
Prioritise safety and comfort during your family walking holiday with kids. Ensure everyone stays hydrated by carrying sufficient water and encouraging regular drinking breaks. Protect against sun exposure with hats, sunglasses, and SPF 50 sun cream. Pack plasters and other first-aid items to help with blisters or unexpected injuries. If your kid is like my younger one, you definitely will end up using some of that first-aid items. All of these safety precautions will ensure that you have a positive experience.
To maintain children’s comfort, allow for frequent rest stops and adjust your pace to accommodate their needs. Be attentive to signs of fatigue or discomfort, such as complaints of sore feet or irritability. Pushing them too hard will only make them more tired for the rest of the trip, so the right balance is key.
PS: Our list of best countries to visit with family and kids
Final word
Going on a walking holiday with children requires a bit more preparation and research. But the experience will undoubtedly be rewarding! Over the years, we have done several walking holidays with our kids. Wherein we took guided tours. Or, crafted our own self-designed walking tour to take at our own pace. You can also combine your walking tour with kids into a picnic and camping kind of holiday. If you choose the right trail and the right destination.
Another option is to combine your walking trips exploring places with pit-stop at destinations that can be of fun to kids. Like stop by a lake to feed the ducks. Or, add a zoo to your itinerary if it falls on your trail.
General tips on doing walking holidays with children
- Choose short trails first, and then slowly increase the length and duration of your walking holidays with children
- Take plenty of breaks when taking a walking tour with kids. Keep ample time aside.
- Keep the kids entertained by telling them stories about the places, converting it into a game of some sort like a scavenger hunt etc. So that they don’t end up getting bored during the walking tour.
- Choose the right climate and weather conditions. Avoid going on walking holiday with kids when it’s raining, particularly on slippery slopes. Also, avoid walking with kids for long in extreme summer and hot destinations. As it can lead to sunstroke and dehydrate the kids.
- Pack the right kind of clothing and gears for the kids – shoes, enough woollen cloths in winter, breezy summer cloths in hot season etc. And also keep an extra pair for your kid. Particularly if they are less than 5 years old.
- Keep the first aid kit, medicines, band-aids etc with you when walking with kids.
- It’s good to choose trails which have plenty of food options in the form of cafes and restaurants. If they are kids friendly then even better. Like, when we traveled in Europe with our kids, we explored the cities of Lucerne, Amsterdam, Florence and Paris through walking tours. Each one of these had plenty of food options where ever we went. And that really helped with keeping the kid energised.
- We have done walking tours in India exploring some really pretty natural trails like the most recent walking tour exploring Mussoorie. As it involved walking in fresh air and beautiful surroundings, our younger kid who was just 4 managed to walk almost 9 km that day!!
- Last but not the least, we avoid doing walking tour in groups. Rather, we choose for personally curated walking tours that give us the freedom of walking at our own pace. So that we don’t have to hurry with our kids. And the other tourists also don’t get slowed down because of us.