Interested in forming a hiking group with 4-5 YO kids?

[Raven]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone is interested in doing a couple small hikes, appropriate for children around 4-5 YO. My daughter and I hike and kayak often together, but I think she'd like to have the company of some new potential friends her age that also enjoy the outdoors.

We generally keep to hikes around a mile for now with some sort of interesting goal...often to do with fairies and fairy houses, boulders, or waterfalls

For obvious reasons, I'm not posting specific details of time and place but would be interested in hikes in the Whites primarily (Pinkham Notch, Gorham/Randolph, Kanc and Conway areas would be best for weekends but also southern NH areas like Pawtuckaway SP are possible as well). Somewhere in NH.

If this is interesting and you want to do some hiking with kids in this age range, maybe with some playground time or trail picnics added in as well, let me know by posting to this thread or sending me a PM. We can work out the details and maybe get a small group together. For a possible first hike, I was thinking Saturday or Sunday 7/28 or 7/29

 

[Early Bird]

I have a three year old and have put together some toddler hikes. Last summer we did three of them. (Toddlers on Top I called them, inspired by this site. We always hiked to Pack Monadnock.) So, I'd be interested. That weekend might have potential for us. I'll PM you.

 

[Raven]

I have a three year old and have put together some toddler hikes. Last summer we did three of them. (Toddlers on Top I called them, inspired by this site. We always hiked to Pack Monadnock.) So, I'd be interested. That weekend might have potential for us. I'll PM you.

Thanks Early Bird - I PM'd you back.

 

[B the Hiker]

The AMC has a Family Committee that leads the very kinds of trips for which you are looking.

http://www.amcboston.org/committees/trips/family


Brian

 

[Raven]

The AMC has a Family Committee that leads the very kinds of trips for which you are looking.

http://www.amcboston.org/committees/trips/family


Brian

Thanks Brian! The AMC trips look great but I'm hoping to keep things fairly simple with some short 1-3 mile day hikes building up to some longer ones. Most of the AMC family trips are weekend camping trips.

I really envision getting together for half a day so the kids can hike, play, discover, interact, ID a tree or two, have some juice and trail mix, share fairy stories, and then call it a good day.

I appreciate the input and will keep an eye on their programs - I frequently check (and periodically attend) hikes listed on the "AMC Activity Listings" by chapter on their website but have only done "adult" hikes.

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

Too bad we aren't in NH or get up there more often - would love to join you! My daughter is 4.5 and I'm always on the look out for other hikers with kids. I'm slowly working on creating some new hikers with her current friends. We did a short 0.7 mile "hike" a few weekends ago followed by time at the playground and the kids LOVED the hike and did it twice (they asked to do it a third time at the end of the day but all the parents were wiped out, lol).

I thought my daughter and I would be joining my husband in NH when he does his annual Presi Traverse in a few weekends, but I'm pretty much out of vacation time, so we won't be there. Otherwise I would've loved to have planned something.

 

[The Sikes]

re hiking with kids

I have a 5 year old that would enjoy that. I have just started taking him up 4000 footers but I know he would love to do anything with another child his age.

 

[Raven]

Thanks for the responses! Based on the interest here, I'll put together a couple of options for relatively easy, safe, fun, and hopefully convenient locations for consideration. Suggestions welcome!

I'm thinking between 1 and 3 mile hikes with at least one or two highlights (summits, views, boulders, waterfalls, cave, etc.). To start, I'll look for one in southern NH and one in the Conway area maybe with playgrounds/swimming options etc and hopefully we can get a small group together.

I'll repost early next week. (Daddy has some hiking time )

 

[wardsgirl]

Back in the day, a friend and I ran a group called PATH (Parents and Tots Hike).

My son is a senior in high school now, so it was quite a while ago.

If you'd like, I can dig up our flyers that listed our hikes- it might give you some good ideas for places to go that you wouldn't think of normally.

 

[Raven]

Back in the day, a friend and I ran a group called PATH (Parents and Tots Hike).

My son is a senior in high school now, so it was quite a while ago.

If you'd like, I can dig up our flyers that listed our hikes- it might give you some good ideas for places to go that you wouldn't think of normally.

That would be great WG - thanks. Extra ideas would be welcome!

 

[Raven]

First Hike Plan

Hi all,

Early Bird and I worked out a plan for a hike gauged at kids aged 3ish-6ish:

Bear Brook State Park (Allenstown in Merrimack Valley of Southern NH)
Sunday July 29th
About 2 miles of hiking with a few hundred feet gain
Views, boulder cave, good stuff

As a state park, there are day fees.

Good news: kids 5 and under are free.
Not-as-good-news: $4 for adults (unless you are 65 or have a fake ID saying so, then you are also free).

Weather may change plans, I will keep an eye on it late in the week.

If interested, PM me for the specific details of time and trails.

In hindsight, this thread may have belonged under trips/events.