How Early Should you Start your Kids?

[mangus7175]

I started backpacking/hiking with my daughter when she was 5 (now 6). My son, who I didn't even know was interested in hiking with me started when he was 12 (now 13).

I started doing local dayhikes ranging from 2 to 3 miles then slowly increased the mileage. My son can now handle 8 to 10 miles per day and my daughter can now handle 5 to 6 miles per day.

One thing to note, though their legs are strong, they still require lots of breaks and snacks. I always ask them if they're ok, if they want to stop for a break, or even if they want to go home already - so far I've been lucky, the answers so far have always been "no Dad, we're good, let's just go so we can set up camp".

When they do join me on trips, I just make sure that the car isn't too far to get back to just in case and also I pick trails that are not so desolate.

[dukedante]

I've done some backyard camping with my boy who's 5. He's loved the hanging around in a hammock since he was 2, when I first started.

[DivaB]

There is actually quite a bit out there on the benefits of babies and children in hammocks. Just run a Google search. I'd share some links if I weren't on my tablet doing peck typing

[Kodiak1]

We have four children when my youngest was 4 she is now 20 we hiked 25 miles on the Ozark Highland trail four nights she did great. wish I knew about hammocks back then can't wait to try it with my grandsons they are 3 & 4 I love backpacking so it will be great to have them try it also.

[UrsaMajor1887]

I have 6-year-old twins and they are great in a tent. I have just got into hammocking myself over the last year and fell in love. Now they want in on it too!

I am looking for hammocks and thinking of getting out the thread injector to make a couple of quilts for them soon.

Now I need to work on the wife No, she is warming up to the idea. Really.

[Hooch]

My boy got his first hammock when he was 5. He's almost 11 now and still refuses to sleep on the ground when we camp.

[SGT Rock]

Both my sons have forsaken beds for their rooms in exchange for hammocks. I can't convince my wife we need to do that though.

[Postal]

Mine are 3 and 7 and both love the hammocks but have stayed in the tents as of yet to sleep at night. Not going to push them but we do a Sunday hang every Sunday after church and lunch to read, play the ds, and nap. So far we have not missed a Sunday.

[nimbus37]

My kids are 3 and 5. We have hammock camped for more than a year. Got my 5 year old his own HH cub for the next few summers then we will get a scout for him and his sister can use the cub. We did a four day vacation last summer where they walked 14 miles. My 5 year old did all of it, my 3 year old did around 9.5, with some carrying the rest of the way, 1/4 mile at a time. Like a previous poster said, snacks and breaks! Let them "lead" and determine mileage per segment.

I have always thought around age 4 or so they should be able to do mileage based on their age!

[Beast 71]

I have a 6, 4 and a 2 year old and we've been hanging for the last 3 years now. I don't think anyone is too young or old for a hammock if well supervised. I wouldn't have small baby in a hammock unless I had eyes on him, but when an older baby or toddler is strong enough to roll around by themselves in the hammock, then close by and frequent checking is good enough for me, but YMMV. I hang their hammocks lower and tie up all the suspension in such a way that it is not a strangulation hazard. Even my older kids will wrap a rope or web suspension around their necks if the ends are long enough and unsecured . It's scary and yelling or explaining hasn't broken them of the habit yet, so be careful of anything, (lamp cord, speaker wire, drapery or blind cords, jump ropes dog leashes, etc...) they might wrap around their little necks!