TIP SHEET 1. The earlier you can get the kids out and make it enjoyable, the better. Start small: “Don’t plan a big blowout where you’ll be dragging kids behind you.” If you set out on a longer daytrip and it really bombs, step back and try something small again. 2. When kids’ energy begins to wane, promote them to interim trip leader. Put them in front of the group, says Passios, “and they’ll quickly go from dragging to being the taskmaster.” 3. While you might hesitate to pump sugar into your child, the swift energy burst of a snack like an apple or granola bar will revive even the most resistant little hiker. This is especially handy when they wilt five minutes from the summit and need a little coaxing. Biggest Challenges: Slightly older kids that hike “three times faster than dad”; the moody teenage years; impressing the importance of “staying found” on children. Where To Go: Passios recommends Gunstock Mountain in Gilford, N.H., a short but satisfying dayhike with impressive views of Lake Winnipesaukee and other tempting diversions. Resources: Find information about the New Hampshire Chapter Family Group.

Maybe you look back fondly on family camping trips from your childhood. Perhaps your plugged-in progeny are showing signs of nature deficit disorder. Whatever your inspiration, outdoor pursuits with young ones in tow can be daunting. The rewards, however, are plentiful. Studies show that children who spend time outdoors are more connected with nature, more self-confident, and more independent. (They’re also less afraid of getting wet and dirty.) We asked a few expert youth instructors to share some of their best tips for making your child’s first hiking, paddling, and backpacking outings educational, safe, and fun.

Strength in Numbers: Group Hikes
A newly divorced dad, Dave Passios stumbled upon the New Hampshire Chapter Family Group in 1998 while looking for inexpensive and fun things to do with his two young children. The Lunenberg, Mass., resident not only found hordes of hiking companions for his kids, but also plenty of adults to lighten the parental load. His whole family discovered a passion for the outdoors that’s sustained them for countless weekends since.

The group offers easy- to moderately-paced dayhikes and cross-country ski, backpacking, and hut-to-hut trips. One recent Sunday, 45 members set out for Welton Falls in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region—moms with infants all the way up to strapping 19-year-olds. Even with a crowd this big, it somehow works, says Passios, now an AMC trip leader. “The slower kids speed up to stay with the faster kids, while the faster kids tend to hold the reins in.”

But back to those parental benefits: Other moms and dads have already made the common mistakes and take new members under their wings. It’s easy to see what doesn’t work and immediately rectify it. The kids learn hands-on trail safety, responsibility, and etiquette from each other. And the trails are time-tested and suit all the participants. “One family may love to go out on the trail with their own kids, but it really doesn’t work for everyone,” Passios says.

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