Why hiking matters for children
Parents who love hiking, contact with nature and the mountain environment often don't know how to go about it or where to go. In this section we wanted to gather some advice on the things that most need watching out for. A few simple tips on how to manage your children along the route and some advice on how to encourage them to walk in the mountains.
First of all it must be said that children are excellent hikers, perhaps more so than adults, because they still keep the ability to be amazed. They do need help, though, to observe nature: a hidden spider, a colourful butterfly, a very wide view. Many details escape children because by nature they can be rather superficial (that's normal); on this path of growing up they need to be guided to look.
The second important point is that children are excellent hikers because their powers of physical recovery are far greater than adults'. They tire quickly (it's more a problem of boredom) than of fitness. If they sit down to get their strength back they recover very quickly and are ready to set off again faster than before.
In the mountains children should often be held by the hand and never left alone unless the path has no exposure to a drop at all... and we want to stress: none at all. Children can't yet judge danger accurately, and sudden, reckless movements can bring devastating consequences.
On the path children may come across stones that are small for an adult, and quickly stepped over, but that a child has to climb over with care and effort. Their little legs are shorter than adults' and this is a problem to always keep in mind. It's one more reason why you need to stay close to children, if not actually hold them by the hand.
Keeping children interested is necessary so that the hike doesn't become a physical effort for its own sake. Before setting off it's useful to find out about the place, the geography and the history of the area where you're going to walk.
Children are also sensitive to competition; the idea of setting up a contest (e.g. who sees the most butterflies, who finds the most waymarks, who finds the most beautiful stone) is a way to put wings on their feet. In this sense children become very competitive, and this is useful both as a game (simulation) and for developing their powers of observation.
Finally we recommend reading Bambini in Appennino by Frezza and Osti Guerrazzi. An excellent tool for encouraging young hikers to spend time in the mountains and the natural environment.
In the hope of providing useful advice and tips for those parents who want to go hiking with their children, below we have gathered a selection (a list, a roundup, call it what you like) of hiking routes suitable for children (sorted by age group) and a list of pages with tips on how to lead the hike.