Jared Ryan

  • INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER

    Winter Chores for Kids: Gear Maintenance & Organization in the Off-Season

    If winter has you daydreaming about your next warm-weather adventure, you’re not alone! This time of year can be hard to get outside with kids. So, why not use this season of staying warm and close to home to clean, prep, and maintain your gear for your upcoming adventures. Today, Oklahoma dad of 2, Jared Ryan, is here sharing his family’s list of winter chores for kids that help them prepare for their next hiking, biking, or camping adventure. A little gear maintenance, organization, restocking, and preparing will go a long way in getting your family out the door quicker when the weather warms up! 

    Chores in the off-season

    If you are anything like me, the short days of winter often leave you searching for ways to bide your time until your next family adventure. So, what are some ways to actively and productively pass those days?

    For me, I really love my “winter chores” to get me through the days where adventuring is not practical or possible. Admittedly our winters are pretty mild, but to be honest some winter days I just want to chill at home and just enjoy my family time. So why not just include my kids in on my chores!?

    The benefit of doing chores together

    Whether your children regularly participate in chores or not, it’s never too late (or soon) to get them started in helping out around the house. and getting them involved in cleaning or organizing. Did you know research indicates that children who do chores have higher self-esteem, are more responsible, and are better able to deal with frustration and delayed gratification, all of which contribute to greater success in school?

    Studies show that involving children in household tasks at an early age can have a positive impact later in life. So, do your kids (and yourself) a favor and choose a winter chore that will help get them involved in taking care of your home and family (which helps you out, too).

    winter chores for kids

    Winter chores for kids

    My winter to-dos are just regular, mostly simple, tasks that I do each year in preparation for the next season’s adventuring, along with the chores you may already associate with winter itself. Your list will most certainly differ from mine, but hopefully, I can spark some ideas you can include your kiddos in on the prep work for your family’s activities. 

    Our outdoor hobbies and interest revolve largely around hiking, mountain biking, trail building, fishing, and camping. So, it is no wonder that our winter chores are mostly centered on the maintenance and upkeep of the gear and tools we use for these activities. 

    1. Sharpening and maintaining our trail tools

    We have land and are in the process of making (and maintaining) our own trails through the woods and property. We use our trail tools A LOT. Therefore, we put a lot of care into them year-round. We give them a good looking over to see what needs to be repaired. My kids and I thoroughly inspect the handles for cracks and the blade edges for nicks and chips. This is when we also make sure they’re nice and sharp. 

    We also look to see what needs to be replaced. Some tools have to be replaced each season, namely our collapsible handsaws as we tend to break the blades pretty often.

    Outdoor chores for kids - splitting firewood

    2. Splitting firewood

    Splitting firewood is another outdoor chore that (depending on age) you can get your kids’ help with. This is probably my kids’ favorite chore and mine as it seems to be a great way to expend their built-up energy. Ideally, we’d fell our tree in the spring or summer to allow the wood to season. When the wood is dry and seasoned, this will make it much easier to split. I have not reached the point of allowing my kids to swing the heavy splitting axe, but they are definitely capable of splitting with a wedge and hammer. Kids can also help with stacking firewood and helping start/make a fire. 

    winter chores for outdoorsy families - prep and organize fishing equipment and tackle

    3. Servicing and re-spooling fishing reels, organizing tackle

    We do a lot of fishing, so it’s important to keep our fishing gear well-maintained. Servicing and respooling our fishing reels is a simple and often forgotten chore. Fishing line becomes brittle over time as it rubs up against sunken timber and rocks and as it sits wet in the sun. I normally like to change ours out on our bass reels every winter. My kids usually don’t mind reeling the line in while I hold the spool on a pencil. It’s pretty fun to see how fast they can reel and pretend they’ve hooked a huge fish!

    Winter is also a good time to go through your tackle box to clean it up and organize it. When fishing with kids, things tend to move around a lot and can turn into a mess quickly. We like to take inventory of what we have, what we need to replace, and then make a trip to our local fishing gear shop to restock so we’re ready as soon as it gets a bit warmer. 

    Winter Chores for Kids - bike maintenance

    4. Mountain bike maintenance

    I know I said splitting wood may be my kids’ favorite chore, but it might actually be the bike maintenance. We keep our bikes in pretty good shape throughout the year, but winter provides us a little more time to do some deep cleaning.

    In the riding seasons, we normally keep the bikes clean and lubed. During the winter we go ahead and do a full-service tune-up on our bikes. After a full breakdown of the bikes, we then inspect, clean, and service the entire bike inside and out. Replacing any worn out and broken parts, while reapplying new grease wherever grease is needed. A complete overhaul on a bike may not be in everyone’s wheelhouse, but if you plan to ride consistently I would say give it a go. Just do not be afraid of starting over a few times.

    5. Organizing our gear wall

    In our garage, we have a gear wall filled with mountain biking gear, hydration packs, climbing ropes and harnesses, and pretty much anything else that we use and can be hung on a wall. Over the summer, things get lackadaisically hung in the wrong spots, or dirty, or wet. Even though the wall is conveniently marked for “Bikes”, “Hikes”, and “Biners”. The winter is a good time to get this area organized and in tip-top shape. That way we know exactly where everything we need for adventure is, which gets us outside and playing quicker and with way less stress. 

    chores that your kids can do in winter to help prepare for summer adventures

    6. Restocking our camping totes

    We keep three large black totes stocked with all our regular camping essentials. This makes it easy for us to load up and head out without worrying about whether or not we’ve packed everything. Of course, this is contingent on the totes actually being properly stocked.

    While we really enjoy winter camping, we still use this season to take an inventory of what we have and what we need to replace. Bringing the kids in on this allows them to give their input on some of what we carry along. 

    7. Winter yard work

    During the winter months, yard work and landscaping is usually the last thing on most people’s minds. But, the winter months are actually a really good time to take care of your yard. I like to let the kids help with raking any leaves or debris that we missed in the fall and cleaning out our gardens, flower beds, and window boxes to keep fungus or mold from growing and get them ready for spring planting. Winter is also a good time to prune your trees, shrubs, and rose bushes. You’ll want this done before they start to bud in the spring. With some proper supervision, kids can help with this process. 

    Getting kids involved in winter chores

    My kids have grown to love our winter chores, even if they only stick around for half of them. I can definitely tell that they are learning new skills and that’s obviously my main intention. Even though our lists of winter chores are probably far different than yours, I hope I was able to get some thoughts rolling on what chores you can do now to get you (and your gear) prepped and ready for the next season of adventure. So, the next time your family is a little bored and looking for a fun way to keep those warm-weather adventures on your mind, do a chore! 

    About the author

    Jared Ryan is a husband to a talented and beautiful wife, Kristen also a father of two fun-loving and adventurous kiddos. He enjoys leading family adventures to both near and far destinations. Whether it is hiking, camping, climbing, bike riding, or playing in the backyard, he loves it all. He instills in his family the importance of nature and all the benefits it can bring to one’s life. Jared is a GIS analyst by trade, so he is naturally drawn to creating maps and all things trail-related, whether it is creating new trails, recording family hikes, or teaching his kids land navigation, he loves to tie in his own work with family adventures.

    You can find Jared online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @bikeshikesbiners
    RWMC posts: Jared Ryan

  • BIKE, HIKE, INFORMATION, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK

    Trail Building and Maintenance with Kids

    Have you ever traveled down a trail and wondered who built it or how it got there? Have you given any thought to how trails are actually made? Have you ever thought about creating your own hiking trails that go exactly where you want them to go? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re going to love this post! Today, Jared Ryan, Oklahoma dad of 2 and literal trailblazer is here sharing his experience building trails with kids and how to maintain hiking trails. 

    How to Build and Maintain Hiking Trails with Kids 2

    An idea is borne

    As a father who is constantly seeking ways to inspire my kids to be adventurous, and wild, and borderline primal, I usually find our journeys heading down a trail. We LOVE hiking, and mountain biking, and even just finding a place to picnic where our conversations and thoughts are not interrupted by other people… Ironically, people like us. 

    We wanted to get away from it all. And so, an idea was borne. 

    The idea started on a particular hike when my son (7) and I were looking for rocks to add to his collection. We had let my wife and daughter hike ahead while we searched and chatted. He made a comment on how “cool” the trail had been. This sparked an amazing conversation about what he’d do if he could build his own trail. I kept note of this conversation and naturally as any sane and loving father would do, I started cutting a private trail on family land. With my kids…

    building hiking trails

    Planning our trails

    Using a little Field Notes book, we began collecting data on all of the trails we hiked. We noted what we liked, what we disliked, what we would do differently, what worked well, etc. We even started taking pictures of how features were built and laid out. This really helped my kids recall previous conversations we had as we could pull up the photos and discuss. 

    Then, when we were ready to start creating our own trails on our family land, I allowed my kids to pick the routes we wanted to take and even choose what features they wanted to incorporate. Luckily they kept it mild, aside from a few bridges. 

    Survey the land

    We started by completing a hasty survey of the land to determine what we were working with. Then, we flagged and staked the trail. Initially, we did this with orange flagging ribbon so that it stands out in the timber. Once each section of trail is completed we will go pack and remove the flagging, replacing it with wooden DIY arrows and trail ducks (stacked rocks).  Our arrows are simply burned into 1-inch thick slices from a wooden fence post. 

    hiking trail maintenance

    Blazing trails and teaching moments

    Currently, we have hand-cut 1 mile (one way) of singletrack hiking trails on our land. This has allowed me to teach my kiddos the parts of a trail and how they function. Through our trail building experience, they’ve learned about adding berms to allow mountain bikers to carry speed through a turn. They know how to benchcut an off-camber section to keep the trail from eroding downhill. They’ve even learned how to out-slope the trail to keep water from pooling on it.  These are all attributes of any good trail that no longer go unrecognized by our kids. Trail building is much more than just a path through the woods (although, sometimes that is exactly what it is). 

    Trail building has given us so many opportunities to get them to think outside the box and exercise those engineering and problem-solving skills. I like to ask them how they think we should fix or mitigate a problem with the trail, which allows them the opportunity to have input and use what they’ve learned so far. They’re quite the problem-solvers and often bring up ideas I hadn’t thought of. And then sometimes their ideas are along the lines of “just build a ramp, Dad, so we can jump the creek!” 

    Helping build trails on public land*

    Our favorite public trail systems can almost always use our help. If you’re interested in helping build or maintain trails on public land, reach out to your local trail bosses or state parks. Volunteer yourself (and your family!) to help them cut and maintain those magnificent trails that you use and love. Most organizations even have designated trail workdays that you can jump in on. This is a great way to use the knowledge you already have and gain even more experience working with professionals. 

    *I should probably add that you should never do any work that is not authorized or planned by the maintainers of the trail. Even something simple like removing rocks or detouring around a mud puddle can completely alter the layout of a trail. 

    trail_arrow - getting kids involved in trail building

    Trail building tools

    Whether you are joining a trail crew for the occasional workday or starting your own network of trails on your land, there are need a few basic tools you need for building trails. 

    Rakes

    After flagging your trails, you’ll want to rake away all the loose grass and leaves down to the dirt. I like to use a leaf rake where the grass is already sparse and a garden rake when trying to pull out any shallow roots or small rocks. (A garden hoe works well for this also). Raking the path is an easy, simple, and safe task for any age kid and gives them immediate gratification. 

    Hatchet

    A good hatchet might become your most used tool on the trail. You’ll want to use the hatchet for most smaller diameter limbs and little shrubs. I also find myself using it for ripping out briar bushes and busting up softer sandstone rocks with the blunt side.  Make sure to closely supervise kids when using tools like a hatchet. Older kids can probably handle them, but little ones will need assistance. 

    Handsaws

    Carrying a compact handsaw will make quick work of any small trees or medium-sized limbs. Where a hatchet may take several minutes to chop a small tree, a handsaw can fell it half the time. Again, supervise kids and make sure to teach them proper tool safety lessons. 

    Quality work gloves

    It only takes forgetting your work gloves once and a nice big blister to realize your mistake. I prefer to use leather gloves over synthetic ones, but it’s really a personal choice. For my kids, I was able to find full leather gloves at our local Tractor Supply store. I’m sure you can find them at most big box stores, or online if you know your kid’s glove size. 

    Other trail building supplies

    Probably goes without saying, but pack in plenty of water and snacks when you’re out building trails with kids. It’s really easy to lose track of time when you’re all working hard. Time has escaped us enough times now that set alarms on my phone to remind us when to eat and when to call it a day. 

    I prefer to bring a backpack to carry anything that will fit. After working all day, the last thing you and the kiddos will want to do is hike out while fumbling around with your hands full of your tools.  

    I also like to bring along a map so that I can map my trails and see the progress we’re making as we work. While I use a combination of my Garmin watch along with the Motion-X GPS app on my phone (any GPS device will work). The app is free and allows you to record your tracks and even set waypoints with notes. There are plenty of GPS apps out there and most will work just fine as they all use your phone’s built-in GPS receiver.

    Trail building with kids & trail maintenance

    Some necessary trail building rules

    After building trails for a while, we’ve figured a few things out. We’ve had to set a few ground rules for the kids (and adults) that we’ve laid out for our trail building workdays:

    The hatchet is BY FAR my son’s favorite tool, naturally. So we have a little saying of “One swing, one strike”. Simply meaning that he swings once, and then resets before swinging again. This was just my way of keeping him from swinging too fast or uncontrollably. The other hatchet rule is to never swing the hatchet over their heads. This is really a sound rule for kids and adults alike.

    We all wear our gloves anytime we are working. Aside from avoiding blisters, I require them to prevent cuts from the handsaw and to protect our hands from scorpions and “trick sticks” (what my son calls snakes) that often hide under the rocks and brush. 

    We also stop when it is time to stop. My kids have really impressed me with how dedicated they are to their task-at-hand. And how hard they will work to complete it. But, the last thing I want is for them to have overworked muscles the next day and to be tired at school. So we set a sort of ‘quitting time’ and when it’s time to stop, we stop. This also allows us time to admire our day’s work and not be rushed to leave it. 

    Maintaining trails with kids

    Building trails and maintaining them is a never-ending project. Nature continuously repairs itself, so maintenance and upkeep will be necessary for the life of any trail or nature will take back over. That’s both a wonderful thing and an exhausting one. Once you’ve got a well-packed centerline along your path, most of the maintenance will consist of seasonal upkeep.

    In the spring and summer months, weed-eating along the edges and trimming limbs will be the bulk of your work. But, be prepared to fix any low spots that are holding water or eroding away as a result of the spring rains. 

    Winter and fall maintenance is a little easier, in my opinion. We walk our trail with a rake and leaf blower and this is usually all that needs to be done. For us, this needs to be done 2-3 times per season. The cooler months are also when we prefer to add any new features or big projects to our trail. While my kids prefer the warmer work days, working in the cooler temps provides more safety for the kiddos from any slithery snakes or even scorpions. 

    tools needed for trail building and maintenance

    Trail building through all weather

    My kiddos have never shied away from the tough work, so I never shied away from letting them do it, even in tough weather. As I mentioned above, trails are a never-ending project and always need work. That’s why I don’t cancel a trail day due to “bad” weather. I’m not talking about thunderstorms or sauna temperatures, but if the weather forecast calls for showers or hot weather, I simply plan accordingly.

    Pack up the rain jackets for storms or the frozen water bottles for the heat. Dress accordingly (always layers). It’s much cooler in the woods than you might imagine on a hot day. And, working in the rain can be an easy way to see where your trail might be holding water requiring more adequate drainage points. 

    Kids are resilient. I am continuously impressed with how often my kids want to work on our trails regardless of the weather. We have had plenty of HOT workdays and days where a warm fire and some hot chocolate were the perfect end. They seem to forget about the conditions when they’re focused on their task at hand.

    Why we love the work

    We love being in the woods, getting dirty, and how we always feel better after exerting our energy through a productive outlet. There is so much about trail building that we love and too few ways of explaining it. Everything from the pride you get in your labor to the sense of ownership you get to have over the trails you love.

    For me, the benefits of trail building seem to come in unexpected ways. Like when we’re hiking in a state park or on any public trail and my son points out the attributes of a trail that he wants to incorporate into ours. Or even parts he’d fix differently. This has been a wildly unexpected and prideful result of this entire process. I knew my kids would learn and grow from the physical and mental work, but I could not have imagined the joy they would have from working so hard and how proud I would be of them. 

    Get into the wild

    At Run Wild My Child we are adventurists and explorers of the wild. We all have a connection to trails, so let’s not be scared to reach out to a local trail boss and offer up our weekend to help maintain them. The trail crews and patrons alike will GREATLY appreciate you and your littles’ hard work. And we can all continue to reap the benefits of like-minded trail-lovers everywhere. Because we are all part of nature and it belongs to us all. It’s our responsibility to take care of it. 

    National Trail Day is June 5

    Did you know that National Trail Day is coming up? This Saturday, June 5th is National Trail Day. How are you going to celebrate? By hiking your favorite trail or blazing a new one? If you want to help, visit the American Hiking Society, International Mountain Bicycling Association, or your State Parks Department to find out how you can become involved. 

    About the author

    Jared Ryan is a husband to a talented and beautiful wife, Kristen also a father of two fun-loving and adventurous kiddos. He enjoys leading family adventures to both near and far destinations. Whether it is hiking, camping, climbing, bike riding, or playing in the backyard, he loves it all. He instills in his family the importance of nature and all the benefits it can bring to one’s life. Jared is a GIS analyst by trade, so he is naturally drawn to creating maps and all things trail-related, whether it is creating new trails, recording family hikes, or teaching his kids land navigation, he loves to tie in his own work with family adventures.

    You can find Jared online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @bikeshikesbiners
    RWMC posts: Beginner’s Guide to Mountain Biking with Kids, Winter Car Camping, Roosevelt Walks

  • CAMP, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WINTER

    Winter Car Camping With Kids

    If you’re anything like me, sometimes you catch yourself wishing the winter months away in anticipation of all the fun outdoor activities you can do in spring and summer. Camping is among our family’s favorite things to do during the warmer months and we miss it during the winter. But, do we have to? Who says that camping is only for summer? Today, Oklahoma dad of two and outdoor enthusiast Jared Ryan shares his tips for winter car camping with kids. He’s got all you need to know to get started car camping with your family during the colder months. This post is packed with all his favorite winter camping gear, advice for what to pack, how to make sleeping comfortable for everyone, and more! 

    The need for winter adventures

    For a lot of us, winters can feel long and somewhat unadventurous. Sure, we have the buildup of excitement for our holiday season; but, inevitably there comes a familiar lull in the long wait for spring. For my kids, cabin fever sets in by the middle of December. They need out of the house now.

    So, forget about waiting until spring to get outside. That’s too long to wait and such a waste of a beautiful season. This is why we decided to start car camping in the winter… Yep, winter. Their need to get outside (thankfully) drove us to become cozier with the idea of sleeping under the winter-night stars.

    We introduced our kids to ‘cold weather’ car camping early on. The first time we took them out in the winter they were two and three years old, so they’re used to it and don’t think we’re super crazy. I remember that trip more vividly than most, mainly because I was somewhat surprised and impressed at how well they handled the cool temps.

    It was a late winter weekend, with fairly mild temperatures. The low that evening was around 42 degrees Fahrenheit. We were camped out in a small four-person tent with my and my wife’s sleeping bags zipped together around all four of us. I remember being so worried that the kids would get too cold and we’d be packing up and heading home by 1 am. Much to my surprise and delight, the kids never made a peep! We fell asleep to coyotes howling within (what felt like) 200m from our camp and woke up to turkeys gobbling and strutting through our campsite.

    I remember my son dancing on the picnic table that morning while I heated up milk for their hot chocolate. While my wife and I sipped our morning coffee and snuggled up next to the campfire, the kids were running around in the trees next to our camp. That’s when I withdrew any reservations about taking out littles out during the winter months. The cold never bothered them anyway.

    How to go car camping with kids in the winter

    What is car camping?

    Basically, car camping is camping with your vehicle. You can “car camp” anywhere that you can drive up to in your car, truck, or van. While car camping can also mean literally sleeping in your car, that’s not a requirement. You can also sleep in a tent, hammock or wherever floats your boat. The key is that you arrive to your campsite in your vehicle and keep your vehicle onsite, which allows you to carry more essentials than a backpacking trip or somewhere you don’t have access to your car.

    We’ve been car camping for years. And while we are still not experts, we have fun learning more with every trip. Over time, we’ve acquired a solid knowledge bank of what it takes to make winter car camping just as much fun (and often more fun) as those spring and summer trips. The bonus of winter car camping is that you can enjoy your favorite campgrounds all to yourself!

    tips for making winter car camping with kids comfortable

    You set the tone for the experience

    First and foremost, when you go car camping with kids, make sure you are the cheerleader for your kids. They need you to reassure them that the temperatures are not a big deal. Eventually, they will no longer worry about how cold it’s going to be at night after they have experienced a few of these trips. Your attitude and mindset in this experience will set the tone of the trip and they’ll be much more confident and content when they see you’re relaxed and having fun.

    Winter car camping gear

    Next, it’s all about the gear. I’ve heard several iterations of the Scandinavian saying and I believe it holds true; “There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing.” That saying holds true in the winter more than any other time.

    Yes, I know that camping gear can get really pricey when trying to buy for your whole family. That’s especially tricky to justify before knowing if they’ll even enjoy camping. However, there is no reason to not start out using what you already have. Remember, when car camping, you have the luxury of bringing EVERYTHING that you can possibly fit in your vehicle. You may greatly overpack those first few trips, but you’ll quickly figure out what you need (and what you don’t) and will adjust accordingly. 

    This can get cumbersome when loading up, so while packing EVERYTHING is possible, you won’t need it all. And you’ll quickly realize that while loading the car. I am confident to say that you will most certainly NEVER be as organized when packing out to head home. This is still a mystery to me, seriously, how does this always happen? 

    What is car camping?

    What to pack for winter car camping with kids

    As your experience grows and you get a feel for camping, you’ll start to get familiar with the areas where you’d prefer to invest more money into more compact and purposeful gear. There are endless options for improvement and no shortage of cool camping gear out there. The options are endless, but you don’t need it all to get started. 

    What we’ve done over the year may also work for you. With each of our outings, we mark items off our list that we didn’t find a use for or need and recorded new processes that have worked well for us or noted items we wished we packed. For cold weather camping, most of the gear and processes revolve around the night. A cold, sleepless night can turn your kids into cold weather one-and-dones. Adding these few key routines and items to your current camping setup can definitely ease the worry about sleeping in the cold.

    How to stay warm when camping with kids during the winter

    How to stay warm at night when winter car camping with kids

    The best advice when winter car camping with kids is to make sure to get your kiddos warm BEFORE bed. We use a Mr. Heater Buddy heater to warm our hands and feet before getting ready for bed. This is a small propane heater that shuts off when tipped and has a carbon monoxide(CO) sensor in them. Although they are rated to be safe for sleeping, we do not sleep with this lit, nor do we use it in an enclosed space. If you do, I would suggest getting a CO detector to place close to your bed.

    To stay warm through the night, pour hot water into a Nalgene bottle to hold between your legs or place it at the end of your sleeping bag. I haven’t tried this, but I have friends that love and swear by this tip. 

    Serve up dense foods for dinner that will keep your body burning calories well into the night. We try and stick to high protein dinners when camping. Try to limit water an hour before bed. For us, this includes limiting water for the dogs. It’s tough getting out of your warm bed in the middle of the night to take a kid (or dog) outside to go potty. It definitely happens, but if you can avoid it, you’ll stay warmer overnight.

    Check the rating on your sleeping bag and the temperature list. That number assumes that you are wearing clothes while sleeping in it. Did you know that? When we camp in the winter, we sleep in our sleeping bags, under our comforter at night. We use zero degree sleeping bags along with a system of layering clothing that goes from the toes up in the following order: (1) tight Smartwool socks under thick, looser cotton socks (the looser sock helps provide a pocket of heat to circulate around the tight sock.), (2) thermal underwear or Smartwool base layer for the legs and torso, (3) a sweatshirt up top, and (4) beanies on our heads. We still stay away from hoodies on our kids when they are asleep. 

    How to stay warm at night when winter car camping with kids

    Car camping with kids sleeping setup

    Instead of a sleeping pad, we bring a futon mattress. Sounds weird, I know, but we started using this method just because we already had it available. Over the years, we’ve tried numerous sleeping pads and air mattresses. Although there are tons of insulated options out there, I have yet to find one that keeps us as warm as the futon mattress in subfreezing temperatures. 

    Next, we add flannel sheets, then our sub-zero sleeping bags, and top with our comforter! This is a game-changer. We’ve also used a power bank to run an electric blanket as another option. If you’ve got those things, use them! 

    Bring along your pillows from home. Camp pillows work fine, but when you can bring your regular pillows from home, why not? That’s one of the biggest perks of car camping! Bring what makes you comfy! 

    Pack clothes that are dedicated to sleeping and not used for anything else. You definitely want everyone to change into fresh clothes right before bed to make sure no one is sleeping in damp clothes from perspiration or playing in the water. My kids play hard all the way up until bed, so we wait until we’re ready to climb into the sheets before changing.  

    Don’t forget the indoor activities. When it’s cold, we tend to go to bed earlier. So we have enjoyed spending time reading books (currently the Hardy Boys) in the tent or playing card games. This is great family time that our kids seem to look forward to.

    Pro tip: With all the extra blankets, pillows, and coats for warmth, it can get really cumbersome. We make ample use of vacuum storage bags. These are huge space savers. Just don’t forget that in order to vacuum them down from the campsite for the ride home, you’ll need to bring a portable vacuum or the pump from your air mattress and the appropriate fitting.

    Winter car camping with kids sleeping setup

    Winter wind and tent tips

    The biggest difference when camping in the winter vs warmer months is the wind. The cold biting wind in the winter is a game-changer. Obviously, you can try to find campsites and locations that are away from water or close to trees to block some of the wind. However, sometimes we’ll sacrifice wind for a more picturesque location (photographer wife). If this is you as well, here are a few more things to note/remember:

    • Bring tarps and paracord to build windbreaks. Specifically to protect your tent from heavy winds, but also your kitchen and even your sitting area. This can make a windy site MUCH more pleasant and relaxing.
    • Use a heavy coat or blanket as a barrier between you and the side of the tent. This helps with insulation and to keep the warmth in. 
    • Bring along a mat/rug for the tent floor. We use a compact 4’x5′ outdoor mat that folds away easily. This creates a surprisingly warm and substantial barrier between your bed and the ground. 

    how to car camp with kids in the winter

    Creating winter camping memories

    Camping outdoors with your family does not have to be a fair-weather activity. It’s something you can do year-round with the right gear and preparation. It’s given us countless hours of outdoor time in months where we need out of the house the most. Plus, having our favorite camping spots all to ourselves makes it worth the extra packing. Don’t be afraid to get out there and test these tips. I’m confident that you’ll have one of the best camping experiences yet. Along with an incredibly relaxing night’s sleep under the stars! 

    For a great general camping list, we use this list from REI. If I don’t use a list, odds are I’ll forget something.

    About the author

    Jared Ryan is a husband to a talented and beautiful wife, Kristen also a father of two fun-loving and adventurous kiddos. He enjoys leading family adventures to both near and far destinations. Whether it is hiking, camping, climbing, bike riding, or playing in the backyard, he loves it all. He instills in his family the importance of nature and all the benefits it can bring to one’s life. Jared is a GIS analyst by trade, so he is naturally drawn to creating maps and all things trail related, whether it is creating new trails, recording family hikes, or teaching his kids land navigation, he loves to tie in his own work with family adventures.

    You can find Jared online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @bikeshikesbiners
    RWMC posts: Jared Ryan

  • FAMILY TRAVEL, HOLIDAYS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

    Our Favorite Adventures of 2020

    Happy 2021, friends! We are so excited to wish farewell to 2020 and to start a new year of adventures with you. No matter who you were or where you lived, 2020 was probably a tough year. And while it had its challenges for everyone, there were also a lot of amazing things that came out of those difficult times. We seemed to all feel a big shift towards what really matters, like family, nature, and self-care. The adventures we took in 2020 probably looked different than how we imagined them when planning. But, we still managed to make the most out of it and spend some time outside together. Today, a few members of our Creative Team are here sharing a little bit about their favorite adventures from 2020. Here are a few memories we’ll never forget. 

    Leslie – @c_l_allofus

    Our family plan for 2020 was to spend the year clearing our newly acquired homestead land and beginning the process of building our house and barn. Even in our personal lives, not much else went we as expected in 2020, but that basic plan of spending the year working together outside never changed. It stretched and challenged us as we cut trees, burnt massive piles of branches, put in our driveway, and passed out endless snacks to our pint-sized helpers. Our kids learned to help with whatever jobs they could, to stay clear of moving equipment and falling trees, and to discover endless ways to create their own adventures on our homestead property. They found favorite climbing trees, built forts and hidden playhouses in the west thicket, and made playgrounds out of just-dropped trees. I love the above picture because it shows our whole family working and playing together–our three-year-old plopped down with her coloring book and crayons in the dirt driveway while the two older girls play in the dirt, our son and his dog dig up a groundhog hole, and my husband works with the mini excavator.

    We’ve spent the year trying to balance work and fun, stopping to enjoy the little moments and accomplishments together. We camped out on our property, dreaming about the many nights there in our future. We’ve watched the sun set across the field and fog lift over our meadow. The autumn leaves have fallen and we’ve learned which trees have the most spectacular color. We’ve watched trees bud and left footprints in the snow. 2020 may not have held epic visits to exotic locations for us, but it’s been full of beautiful adventures right here on our own homestead.

    Best of 2020 - Favorite Outdoor Adventures

    Kristen & Jared – @kristcx & @bikeshikesbiners

    Our favorite adventure this year was getting to take our kids on a road trip to visit a handful of National Parks. One of those parks was Arches National Park. My husband and I had visited this park on our honeymoon 12 years ago. So, getting to come back to explore it with our new little family was such a great experience. We made so many new memories together as a family. We loved getting to see our kids explore new terrains and experience a different region from our own, learning as they went and opening their minds to what else was out there. It really fanned the flame of our sense of adventure and we can’t wait to see where 2021 will take us!

    Our Favorite Outdoor Adventures of 2020

    Stacey – @familyroots.photo

    2020 was a crazy year for everyone! It brought highs and lows to all of us. Our family is so grateful to have had some wonderful memories come from it. Here’s a photo of my kiddos and their cousins at the top of the deer loop trail. This trail is right down the street from our cabin in Vermont. It’s about a 3.5 mile loop and the kids absolutely love exploring this trail. We’ve gone multiple times this year, over various seasons – spring, summer, and fall. And it was right here at the top, with this beautiful view of Pico mountain, where they took their very first solo ski down the mountain. It was a memory I’ll never forget and one of our favorite adventures. I hope you and your families can dwell on all the good memories this year has brought you all and cheers to a happy + healthy new year! 

    2020 Favorite Outdoor Adventures

    Nichole – @coleyraeh

    This year was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Unlike anything any of us have experienced. But for us, it was also a year of “level up” adventures. We weren’t able to travel quite as much but I decided to dig deep into shenanigans close to home. Lucky for us, Arkansas is full of adventure. My favorite adventure this past year was a canoe and camping trip, to a floating platform on a river in central Arkansas. Yes, my kids and I CAMPED on a platform, in a river, surrounded by massive cypress trees, blue herons, egrets, owls, and Pileated woodpeckers.

    The experience stretched all of us – for me, loading and unloading the canoe from my car (by myself, thank you very much) and for my kids paddling in a river, and against a headwind on our return trip. We also learned the best way to pack the canoe to balance their weight with mine. My son slept in a hammock (with a bug net) and couldn’t stop talking about the stars. We also spotted a snake mid-meal, with the still croaking frog hanging out of its mouth. It was memorable. And yes, we even jumped on the Ocean Spray cranberry juice/Fleetwood Mac challenge, making our video while floating down the river. I’m so excited about where our canoe will take us in 2021! 

    If you’re interested in reading more about this trip, I wrote a post about it on my blog Luckey Wanderers. 

    Favorite Adventures of 2020

    Michelle – @wonderclubexplorers

    I have to say, picking just one favorite outdoor adventure from this past year was tough! If nothing else, 2020 was a year that taught us to count our blessings and get creative, especially here in Southern California where safer-at-home orders kept us, well, home. Sort of. In search of new vistas and fresh scenery, we perfected the art of Sunday drives this year. Our destinations were always somewhere new and different filled with interesting roads and places to explore. 

    One of our family’s most favorite and memorable Sunday drives was to the Anza Borrego Desert in California. Here in the desert, we found more than 100 sun-bathed metal sculptures amidst the cactus plants, tumbleweeds, and sandy earth. As my son ran wild from sculpture to sculpture in the desert, he proclaimed that “This day was the most fun ever!” I have to agree, and as we waved goodbye to the dinosaurs, dragons, and wild horse sculptures on our drive home, I looked back and indulged in a cotton candy-colored sunset. How lucky are we to have this beautiful earth to explore?

    Favorite Adventures with Kids Outside in 2020

    Araceli – @roaminggonzalez

    I read an article that described 2020 as the year that offered us a “reset”.  That is the biggest lesson I am taking away from this year. Although it was difficult, lonely and some days were impossible, I am walking into 2021 with a grateful heart. We grew closer than ever as a family. I realized how over-scheduled life was for us.  This year gave us an opportunity to slow down. Our days were filled with all the simple things that matter most and that is what I plan to take into the new year!

    We are also unbelievably grateful that we were able to recreate responsibly throughout the year. Whether it was exploring where we live or camping along the coast we treasure what the great outdoors offered us this year more than ever.  Sunshine, fresh air, and time together as a family. ADVENTURES are truly the best gifts. We remain hopeful for a better year.

    Favorite Outdoor Adventures of 2020

    SarahRuth – @kindle_togetherness

    The devil came down to Georgia. Seriously, you’all. The devil came down here. This guy made 2020 his year. Maybe it wasn’t just Georgia, but can I tell you something? We had a hurricane. In the Appalachian Mountains. Pause there and let that settle for a minute. Five and a half hours from the nearest beach, our family lost power for four days. Our community had massive flooding, hurricane-force winds, and more. With three young kids and a camper hanging out in our driveway, we figured if the devil came here to Georgia, we would head to North Carolina! In a frenzy, we packed up enough clothing to get us through, tossed the bikes on the truck, and ran!

    If 2020 was anything, it was unexpected. As we drove a couple of hours away, we laughed, we cried, and we counted our blessings. Not everyone could run away from 2020 for a few days and fish, ride bikes, count the stars. But, if they could, they should, right? So we did! And we had the time of our lives. If I learned anything this year, it’s that circumstances don’t determine outcomes. Often time, you can switch gears and change the atmosphere of a situation. It is hard to defy your feelings. Super challenging to go against the crashing waves of fear and anxiety….but when you do it, you don’t regret it. Instead, you walk away a victor. I’m all about bringing my kids along for that!

    “Challenges are what make life interesting, and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua Marine

    Favorite Outdoor Adventures of 2020

    Meghan – @meghangarriott

    We had a lot of growth in 2020 at the Garriott home. Our boys grew and grew and so did our garden! The initial shutdowns across the US due to COVID 19 just happened to be the same time to start a lot of my seeds indoors. This year we grew Roma tomatoes, grape tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapeños from seed. With all our added time at home it worked out perfectly to be able to care for our little seeds and expand our garden. As the weather warmed we planted green beans, carrots, green onions, basil, mint, and cilantro.

    Our extra time at home over the summer ended up making for a much larger and better cared for crop than in years past. We were able to freeze over 20 quarts of carrots, canned and froze 15quarts of tomatoes, and 20 quarts of green beans all while also eating fresh throughout the summer. Our time in the garden gave us some much needed physical and mental exercise. My boys loved helping me dig and water the garden, they were less thrilled with weeding but I took what I could get. I can’t wait to see what our garden brings in 2021 with all that we learned and expanded in 2020!

    Ashley – @sage.and.summit

    My favorite memories and outdoor adventures from this year would have to be hiking with my girls and incorporating trail cleanups on those hikes. It not only was a way to get us outside, strengthening our bodies and minds. It also made us feel good to leave the places better than we found them. The most challenging thing about 2020 was not being able to see our friends, however, it made us all more grateful for those friends that we will hopefully see in 2021.
     

    Gaga – @groovybananaphotography

    2020 has been a very weird year. We did quite a bit of international travel in the beginning of the year, then the borders to our island were closed because of COVID. As wedding, engagement and family photographers, we had much less work coming in, as people were not allowed to travel overseas for destination weddings. Incredibly, our island was very lucky to not get hit by COVID and we lived quite a bit of the year in a normal bubble where we could still hang out together. Having more time not working gave us more time to spend with friends, and above all, with our kids.

    My favorite outdoor adventure of the year was probably our trips to Tanna, another island of Vanuatu. One time we went for a couple photoshoot on the top of a volcano and another time to cover a huge cultural event. In both cases, we went exploring the volcano ash plain which offers out of the world landscapes. It was the most amazing playground and a trip we’ll never forget.

    Favorite Outdoor Adventures of 2020

    Sara – @sara_mccarty

    This may be a very unpopular opinion, but I did not think 2020 was the worst year ever. Yes, it was tough, challenging, infuriating, and heartbreaking. But, it was also beautiful, eye-opening, transformative, and resetting. When the world shut down, it forced us to reevaluate and reprioritize our actions. It was disappointing having to cancel adventures, trips, and extra-curricular activities, but it forced us to get creative and explore our local surroundings in a whole new way. We were scared and apprehensive, but spending time together as a family in nature seemed to make things feel more manageable.

    In 2020, we did a lot of fishing, a family canoe trip, some camping, quite a few hikes, and more creek play than we knew what to do with. One of my favorite adventures from this past year was a 2-day getaway to a nearby lake, where my two big kids (6 and 8) and I rented a tiny cabin in the woods. We fished during the day, made a bonfire each evening, and spent our time enjoying the beautiful fall colors and nature around us. The weather was perfect and the kids got along the entire weekend (which is a miracle in and of itself after all the “togetherness” we’ve had). The kids also discovered a newfound love of kayaking and I could barely get them out of the water to eat or go home. It was amazing to see their confidence grow with each trip out and we can’t wait to do it again. It was a bit of a last-minute trip, less than an hour from our house, but it was just what we needed to re-energize and reconnect. 

    What were your favorite adventures from 2020?
    We’d love to hear all about it!

  • FALL, GOOD FOR NATURE, HIKE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, PARK, SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER

    The Roosevelt Walk

    Hiking with kids is always an adventure. But, is it a challenge? Can taking a hike teach your children problem-solving skills, creativity, ingenuity, and grit? Have you ever purposely taken a hike to get off the beaten path in order to encounter obstacles? That’s just what today’s post is all about! Jared Ryan, Oklahoma dad of two is here sharing his family’s experience with Roosevelt walks. Inspired by President Teddy Roosevelt, a Roosevelt walk is an intentional hike where, when confronted with an obstacle, you must go over, under, or through it…never around. These walks can be quite an adventure and lead to teaching kids skills and values in new and creative ways. 

    Hiking with Kids - The Roosevelt Walk

    A new spin on traditional hiking

    Have you ever found yourself looking for ways to boost your kids’ enthusiasm for hikes? One of our family’s favorite activities, regardless of the season, is to go venture out onto a hike. Our kiddos always love it. They have tramped hundreds of miles and have worn through countless pairs of little Merrells. From hardpacked clay, tough granite rocks, or supple loam, they’ve hiked it all. Needless to say, sometimes my wife and I are tasked with trying to change things up on them in order to make sure they still experience that wonderful feeling of adventure when we step off the concrete and into the wild. Our favorite way to spruce up the average hike is by doing what we have dubbed as the ‘Roosevelt Walk’. 

    Teaching kids how to overcome obstacles when hiking - Roosevelt Walks

    The inspiration behind the hike

    The 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt is known for his deep love of nature and his establishment of our National Parks system. But, he is quite possibly equally know for his relentless pursuit to maintain a ‘strenuous life’. So much of a pursuit, in fact, that within his first year of presidency, reporters associated ‘strenuous’ with his name over 10,000 times. Yeah, for real.

    When Teddy wasn’t rustling cattle in the North Dakota Badlands, leading expeditions through the Amazon, or lecturing lawmakers in Washington, D.C., he was leading his six children on walks around Sagamore Hill. (Six!) In true T.R. fashion, Roosevelt had one primary rule for the hikes though:

    When faced with an obstacle in their way, the family could only pass it by going: over, under, or through it… Never around it.

    Roosevelt Walks: Hiking with Kids -Get off the beaten path

    What is a Roosevelt walk?

    And so we started taking what we called “Roosevelt walks” – hikes where we could go over, under, or through our obstacles. When we hiked, nothing would stand in our way… or maybe it did, but we’d have to find a way over, under, or through it. Our kiddos (and my wife and I) quickly learned that these Roosevelt walks are, well, amazing. I mean, distance no longer matters, and the terrain hardly matters. In fact, the further away from a smooth, well-worn path, the better. I feel that I should also let you know that these short, adventurous hikes are often far more tiring and grueling than a longer stroll on your average trail. After all, you aren’t taking the easiest route.

    Where can you Roosevelt walk? 

    Roosevelt walks can be done nearly anywhere. But, if you find yourself squirming a little at the thought of leaving a marked trail, no worries I do too sometimes. We have actually found ourselves doing our Roosevelt walks both on and off of trails. A lot of trail networks offer the same geodiversity on them as anywhere off of them. So if this is the case for you, your preplanning may have just gotten a lot easier. When the terrain surrounding the blazed trail is calling for you, there can be a whole new world (cue Aladdin theme song) opened up in even your most familiar parks and trails just by stepping off the beaten path and working through unfamiliar obstacles.

    *Certain trails and parks do require that you stay on the trail, so make sure and check the trailhead or park office for guidance. 

    A new spin on hiking with kids - how to overcome obstacles and teach grit (Roosevelt Walks)

    Why you (and your kids) will love it

    To me, the dad, there is a never-ending search for ways to show my children how to navigate life. How to problem solve, how to persevere and overcome. To keep myself from inhibiting this process I simply:

    • Allow my little teddys to come up with their own strategies
    • Refrain from mitigating the difficulty of the situation
    • Follow along with their lead and let them be in charge of the situation

    Feel free to add additional wrenches to your hike as well. When we are exploring on our family land, I like to reach a point where the kids are not quite sure where we are and then allow them to navigate us back to the cabin. This has taught them new navigation skills along with building their confidence in making decisions. When coupled with our Roosevelt walk, these <1mi hikes can take several hours, but my kids have never complained. Sometimes they get lost on the way, and that is fine, but usually, they’re lost in their thoughts on the task at hand. And that’s perfect.

    It’s absolutely satisfying to me watching them ascend a vertical rock wall that is tip-toe height for them or weave their way through the branches of a felled tree. It’s almost like their confidence is visible and you’re watching grow in real-time.

    For parents: these obstacles usually bring the same feeling of accomplishment and a boost to our confidence. We all know how quickly and easily we all get so caught up in our infinite emails and our daily Teams meetings and that no matter how hard we resist the mundane. We start to lose that internal feeling of overcoming something, of perseverance, of strenuousness. So, when you have overcome that blocker on the trail or when you’ve faced your fear of what’s new and unknown, you also get to feel a little proud, just like your littles. Plus, you will most undoubtedly use muscle groups that you may not have used since the last time you played tag on the grade school playground. 

    Working through the barriers as a family always builds our team closer. Because we’ve overcome something together and we collaborated on it. Although, honestly, I usually let the kiddos give their input and I often just go along with their strategy. In my mind, it’ll either work, or it won’t. Either way, they’ve learned something new. 

    Keeping it safe

    To be real, there are definitely times that we do come across obstacles that could put us into real danger. Not just thorn briar danger, but proper emergency room danger. This just is NOT what these hikes are about. When we’ve stumbled into a situation like this I simply explain it to the kids. The purpose of the hike and why it’s okay that we’re rerouting. I mean seriously, my son is far too willing to try and hurl his 4’0″ frame across an 8ft gap. So, I do have to reign them in.

    To this point on dangerous situations, my wife and I try to plan ahead in order to find locations that will allow us to safely roam and ramble with consideration of the type of terrain and the time of year. When venturing out, we always have an idea of where we’re going, what we are getting into, and a sense of the severity of any situation.

    Where we live, in the central United States, we know the following truths:

    • There is a venomous snake in every brush pile during the summertime (at least in our heads).
    • Loamy woods are much more forgiving after a rain than the slick sandstone bluffs.
    • Creeks that are dry in February are deep and flowing in April.
    • Poison oak leaves look a heck of a lot like normal oak leaves.
    • In July, whatever water you brought isn’t enough.

    Regardless of how intense or how chill your family’s version of the Roosevelt walk is, make it your own. Roosevelt walks are such an easy way to bring some fun and excitement to your short hikes.

    Keep your eyes on stars and your feet on the ground” – Theodore Roosevelt

    Have you ever heard of a Roosevelt walk?
    Are you ready to give them a try?

    About the author

    Jared is a husband to a talented and beautiful wife, Kristen, and a father of two fun-loving and adventurous kiddos. He enjoys leading family adventures to both near and far destinations. Whether it is hiking, camping, climbing, bike riding, or playing in the backyard, he loves it all. He instills in his family the importance of nature and all the benefits it can bring to one’s life. Jared is a GIS analyst by trade, so he is naturally drawn to creating maps and all things trail related, whether it is creating new trails, recording family hikes, or teaching his kids land navigation, he loves to tie in his own work with family adventures.

    You can find Jared online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @bikeshikesbiners
    RWMC posts: Jared Ryan

  • BIKE, FALL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, SPRING, SUMMER

    How to Get Started Mountain Biking with Kids

    Mountain biking with kids is not only a great way to get outside and immersed in nature, but the benefits go above and beyond. Mountain biking is great for kids’ physical and mental health, improves their coordination and balance, and helps instill confidence. Today, we have Creative Team member Jared Ryan, Oklahoma dad of 2 and avid cyclist, here to give us a primer on how to get started mountain biking with kids. He’s covering all the bases, from how to choose the right mountain bike, what to pack on your adventures, how to get the kids trail-ready and how to mentally and physically prepare for inevitable wrecks. Are you ready?!

    Get out, get dirty

    Let’s be honest, most of us are feeling pretty confined right now. As parents, we’re all looking for new (or any) ways to get our kids outside and soak up what’s left of this summer. This can be difficult with current social distance guidelines and park closures. However, there are options and lots of great ways to get outside away from it all. For me, it’s all about mountain biking!

    Hold up, you say. It’s a 12-hour drive to your nearest mountain range? No worries! That’s not what mountain biking is…at least not all mountain biking. 

    The mountain biking gear shed

    One thing about mountain biking is that you can spend your annual salary on gear. But, let’s not do that… While in some cases it’s really important to buy quality gear for your kid’s safety (i.e helmets), other times, it makes more ‘cents’ to purchase more practically. Let’s lay this out a bit.

    Helmets for kids

    First off, never ride without a helmet. Yes, you, the adult. This is about the only time I get strict on my little shredders when it comes to the bike. I stress the importance of helmets ALL the time. This often means that I’m wearing my helmet when we’re cruising on the neighborhood sidewalks or pedaling around in the yard. That’s fine, because I’m modeling the behavior I want to see. Now my kids never ask if they really need to wear one. They know my answer.

    When shopping for a proper helmet I’d suggest going to your local bike shop or sporting goods store. This ensures that your helmet meets the proper helmet safety regulations in your country. It’s also helpful for getting the right fit and size for your child’s head. While buying online may be easier, it will not give you that same guarantee. 

    how to choose the right mountain bike for kids

    How to choose a mountain bike for kids

    Oh man, the bike. This is where it gets fun. I get just as excited when my kids get a new bike as I do when I get my own… Well, maybe not quite, but almost. Depending on your budget, you can spend $100 or $1200+ on your kid’s bike. Each end of the cost spectrum has its validity. Bike shops are a great place to go for all the insight and wisdom that you seek. They’re always ready and willing to nerd out on bike topics and answer your questions. They can absolutely square your kid away on the proper bike and gear with no effort from you. This is the quick and easy way to get kitted up.

    If the bike shop route isn’t what you’re looking for, online distributors or even second-hand bikes are both great options. It’ll require a little more homework for you and you’ll forfeit that lifetime maintenance program that so many shops offer, but both of these options can allow you to get that upper-level bike for a lot less cost.

    When doing your research, ask yourself, “does this bike make sense for our trails?”. Most entry-level “mountain bikes” out there for kids are actually too heavy for the trails and have inoperable front suspension due to the rider being too light to compress it. They look the part, but when put to the trails they’re too rigid to absorb any rocks and too clunky to be pedaled up any hill. This will NOT do you any favors when introducing your kiddo to the trails.

    Suspension and gears

    Having made the mistake of buying my daughter’s bike with front suspension and narrower (1.75in) tires, I actually prefer my son’s bike. It has no suspension. Instead, a wider (2.6in) tire gives him the plush feel that a proper suspension fork would. As a bonus, not having suspension on the front also cuts down dramatically on the bike’s weight. Mountain bikes for kids with an air suspension fork (like the Woom OFF AIR recommended below), give you the best of both good suspension and lightweight. 

    A range of gears is an absolute must for the trails. Bikes with six to seven gears on the back and one gear up front are the most common for kids’ bikes and will work perfectly for most trails. You may see bikes with two or even three gears on the front, but this is not usually necessary and can add more confusion for your young rider learning to shift gears on the fly.

    Mountain bike tires for kids

    When choosing tires for your child’s mountain bike, you want a relatively wide (2.25in-2.6in) tire with a knobby tread (think of a dirt bike tire). This will not only help with the dirt/mud, but it will grip better in turns and provide more traction and confidence on the downhill sections. Confidence is key. When you’re airing the tires, you don’t need to max out the psi for the tire. Putting in about 5psi less than the tire’s max press rating can go a long way in providing your little rider with more traction on the trail. 

    Best mountain bike for kids

    Woom OFF AIR

    Woom has changed the sport of mountain biking for kids with their durable mountain bikes! The Woom OFF AIR bike delivers off-road performance in a lightweight package. Child-specific ergonomics bring comfort and added safety to each adventure. This bike is well equipped and capable of handling almost anything it encounters, from the bike park to gravel roads to singletrack. With its air suspension fork, the Woom OFF AIR  provides off-road capability and ergonomics designed for growing bodies and developing skills. Stable, responsive, and equipped with high-performance components and tubeless-compatible rims and tires, it provides best-in-class value in its category. 

    how to go mountain biking with kids

    How to dress kids for mountain biking

    In the hot summer months, it’s relatively easy to figure out proper attire for the season. When riding in the cooler fall and spring months, I start my kids with a base layer of cooler clothing and then add layers according to the weather. It’s often cool or even cold at the beginning of ride, then within the first couple of miles, your body warms up pretty well. This is especially true for kids. I account for the storage of the extra layers in my pack so that there’s no reason for the kids (or I) to not shed a layer when it’s needed. Wearing too much clothing for the temperatures can be just as detrimental as wearing too little.

    Lastly, get them some riding gloves. I prefer full-fingered gloves, but I can’t say that it really matters. Proper fitting gloves will really cut down on blisters. 

    beginner's guide to mountain biking with kids

    Getting familiar with the dirt

    After your kiddo gets that nice and shiny steed, go get it dirty! Assuming your rider has mastered the bike basics, you should introduce them to the dirt by finding a local dirt or gravel path. These paths are often unpaved walking/biking trails winding through the trees. No obstacles, no undulations, just smooth packed dirt. I find that this is an organic way of getting young riders comfortable with navigating through the narrow and confined space of the trees.

    While a lot of single track trails are no more narrow than a sidewalk, the tunneling effect of the trees can be pretty intimidating to any new rider. Once they’re more comfortable on the dirt path, feel free to find little branches and rocks (smaller than 3in in diameter) to let them roll over and experiment with. They may get bucked around at first riding over these obstacles, at first. But soon they’ll gain more control and intuition over the bike. Your goal should is to get them used to the feeling of rough terrain and to trust their bike.

    If you don’t have a smooth dirt path near your home, no worries. I often take our kids to a nearby park and lead them around hopping off and rolling up curbs, racing in the grass (as it’s often uneven ground), and riding up/down short little grassy hills. All for the sake of building up their handling skills. Kids get comfortable on their bikes far quicker than their parents, so if you’re not already familiar with mountain biking, jump in and take turns doing these with your little rider.

    everything you need to know to get starting mountain biking with kids
    Leading or towing them into new obstacles can provide them more confidence before trying it themselves.

    What to pack when mountain biking with kids

    Okay, so your ‘little rider’ has now morphed into a ‘little shredder’ and they’re ready for the real deal…the Red Bull Rampage circuit. What should you bring on the trail? Some rides just require sufficient water and maybe a flat kit. But, for longer rides or for trails that I haven’t ridden before, I prefer to carry a hydration pack with our necessities in it.

    While I have my own list of carry-on items that I take for each of my own rides, my list is a bit longer when my kids are with me. There is just more that can go wrong and I don’t really expect them to carry their own packs at this point in their progression.

    In my trail pack:

    • Water – The amount is dependent on your planned ride, but usually 32oz in a hydration pack and a 20oz bottle per person is more than enough for our 1hr rides. You’ll need to figure this for your local climate and personal needs
    • Flat Kit – I carry 1 tube per rider, 1set of tire levers, and a CO2 inflator w/one CO2 cartridge per rider. I often carry a hand pump too just in case we have a rough day.  
    • Bike Tool – It never fails that a seat is too high or a derailleur is not adjusted. There are a lot of options out there to fit you budget/needs. I’ve been really pleased with the Crankbrothers M-17
    • Small First-Aid kit – Just a simple a kit with antibiotic creme, alcohol wipes, and bandages.
    • Snacks – Um well, yeah kids and dads love snacks.

    For after the ride I keep in my vehicle:

    • Wet wipes – Quick easy way to wipe of the trail dirt and sweat.
    • Lint roller – After the wet wipes are used, I find a lint roller to be a great way to get rid of ticks before they attach
    • More Water
    • Zevia – Because the kids definitely earned them!

    what to pack when mountain biking with kids

    Hitting the trail

    At the start of your ride, review and even take a picture of the map at the trailhead to make sure that you know which trails are designated as “Easy” or “Beginner.” I recommend sticking to easy trails at first so that you can keep the rides short and simple. This allows your young rider to decide their own rate of progression. Roll out on these rides with ZERO expectations.

    So often on the drive to the trails, my kids are so excited!  They tell me all the jumps they’re going to “send.” All about how fast they plan to ride. I love it. However, that’s not always the case once we’re on the trail. Fatigue sets in and suddenly, without warning, they’re mentally and physically wiped. Or even (dare I say it) bored! That’s fine, it happens. If you set your expectations low, it’s easier to roll with whatever comes your way and to improvise on the ride. I’ll often let them hang out and session a trail feature. Or, sometimes, this means taking a LOT of breaks. But regardless, since I don’t have any particular goal for the ride, I’m able to fully embrace the outcome…even if that means we’re hitting the bypass trail back to the parking lot.

    When they’re just not feeling it that day and want to head back early, I don’t force the ride. I want this to be a fun experience. I’m completely aware that some days they’re just not that into it. That’s fine, we’re not training for world titles…yet.

    I’ve also found that with both of my kids, when they’re up front and leading the group, they tend to ride a little more confidently and are far more engaged in the ride. This is natural since the lead rider is forced to choose the correct lines and has to be alert for any obstacles. If you notice a kid falling behind, maybe give them the chance to lead for a while. 

    how to prepare kids for mountain biking
    Let your kids lead – this will help them pick better lines and navigate terrain on their own, making them more well-rounded riders.

    Prepare for wrecks

    Be ready…wrecks are going to happen. Yes, they are GOING to happen. No biggie. Most mountain bike wrecks do not result in serious injury, but they can definitely hurt. Ironically, the first step to overcoming the fear of wrecking for any new rider is to wreck! Honestly. Once they get that first fall on their Pro Mountain Biker resumé, young riders nearly always conclude that it’s not really that bad. Or even that it was worth it. 

    My little shredders wreck A LOT. In a positive way. Usually, they wreck because they’re pushing their abilities or conquering a trail feature that has continued to best them. And I’m good with that! Once I’ve verified that my kid is okay, I usually become the hype man. For us it’s something like “Whoa! You alive, dude? That was incredible! Your bike did three flips off that rock!” Or “Dang girl! You good? You’ve gotta hit that one again!”

    Sometimes the pain is real though and we make our way back to the trailhead. Usually, we talk through how the wreck played out and figure out what happened. Was it a bad line choice? Did they have too much or too little speed? We try to learn from the crashes so that next time they aren’t beat by the same feature.

    mountain biking with kids

    The biggest perk

    Mountain biking is SO incredibly rewarding for kids. They learn new skills with balance and coordination. Reach new levels of fitness and health. They will be exhausted, and dirty, and happy. They’ll face obstacles that previously made them tremble, and then they will conquer that obstacle! For us parents, we get to watch this unfold and have a front-row seat to their growth. We can sit on a rocky overlook while taking one of those frequent breaks and soak it up with our little shredders. To me, this is the biggest perk of mountain biking. Now get out there, go ride your bike.

    About the author

    Jared is a husband to a talented and beautiful wife, Kristen also a father of two fun-loving and adventurous kiddos. He enjoys leading family adventures to both near and far destinations. Whether it is hiking, camping, climbing, bike riding, or playing in the backyard, he loves it all. He instills in his family the importance of nature and all the benefits it can bring to one’s life. Jared is a GIS analyst by trade, so he is naturally drawn to creating maps and all things trail related, whether it is creating new trails, recording family hikes or teaching his kids land navigation, he loves to tie in his own work with family adventures.

    You can find Jared online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @bikeshikesbiners