The outdoors is one of the best classrooms and playgrounds your child will ever have.

Here’s what time in the wild unlocks for young adventurers:

• Confidence: Every trail walked, every challenge overcome, builds self‑belief.

• Resilience: Things don’t always go to plan outdoors, and that’s a good thing. It teaches kids how to adapt, recover, and push through.

• Connection to Nature: Kids who grow up in the bush become lifelong protectors of it.

• Mental Health Boosts: Time outside has been linked to lower anxiety, improved focus, and better sleep.

• Family Bonding: Shared adventures create stories and inside jokes that knit your crew together.

The world doesn’t get easier, but our kids can get stronger. And the wild is the best training ground there is.

1. Choose the Right Track (And Don’t Trust the Labels)

Just because a trail is marked “easy” doesn’t mean it’s kid-friendly. A 2 km trail with constant stairs or loose gravel can be more exhausting for a 5-year-old than a steady 5 km loop.

What to look for:

• Tracks under 3–5 km for first-time hikers

• Manageable elevation gain

• Points of interest (waterfalls, streams, swing bridges, caves)

• Opportunities for breaks and exploring safely

• Shelters and huts along the way, especially if you’re expecting bad weather

2. Dress Them Like a Serious Adventurer

Kids feel the cold, get wet, and overheat just like adults, and sometimes more so. Proper clothing is essential for safety and comfort.

Dress them in layers:

• Base: Merino or synthetic to wick sweat

• Mid: Warm fleece or insulation layer

• Outer: Wind and waterproof shell

Avoid cotton, especially in cooler weather. Always pack:

• Warm beanie

• Gloves

• Spare socks

• Sun hat

Bushbuck’s Kids Range is built from the same rugged materials we trust on alpine missions scaled perfectly for little wildlings. From fleece-lined waterproof jackets to sun-protective shirts, this gear keeps kids dry, warm, and ready to charge.

3. Load Up on Snacks and Fuel

Kids need way more snacks than you think. Hiking burns serious calories, and nothing brings on the “I want to go home” faster than a hangry meltdown.

Smart snack tips:

• Pack a mix of energy and treat: trail mix, bliss balls, crackers, fruit strips, cheese, and lollies

• Let them carry some in their own backpack

• Use snacks as checkpoints: “At the next stream, we’ll stop for a muesli bar.”

Also, hydration is essential. Carry water bottles or a hydration pack, and make drinking part of your break routine.

4. Make the Hike a Game

Kids aren’t here to “smash the kilometres” or “bag peaks”. They want discovery, purpose, and fun.

Turn the walk into an adventure:

• Nature scavenger hunts

• Spotting birds or animal tracks

• Creating trail names or stories

• Playing “Would You Rather?” or storytelling games

• Let them “lead” with safe responsibility

When they’re distracted by adventure, they forget they’re even hiking.

5. Involve Them in the Planning and Packing

Ownership builds excitement and resilience.

• Let them help choose the trail

• Have them pack their own snacks or pick their hiking outfit

• For older kids, allow them to carry a light pack with essentials

This also builds practical skills and helps them take pride in the mission.

6. Teach Trail Safety and Emergency Skills

This one’s serious, and empowering. If you hike with kids solo or in remote terrain, they need to know what to do if something happens to you.

 What your kids should know:

• How to use a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB): Let them test the button (in test mode), and understand it’s for serious emergencies.

• How to find shelter: Teach them to look for overhangs, dense trees, caves, or sheltered rocks.

• How to stay warm: Bundle up, use their clothing wisely, huddle together, and use emergency blankets or sleeping bags.

• How to find water: Flowing is safer than still. Show them what’s clean enough in the wild.

• Stay on the trail and stay together: If someone’s injured or lost, staying put increases their chance of being found.

7. Know Their Limits, But Let Them Push Them

Kids can often go further than you think, but they need your belief, not your pressure.

• Set achievable goals

• Take breaks before they’re exhausted

• Encourage with praise, not bribes

• Let them surprise you with grit

The key is learning their rhythm—and when to call it if needed. Growth doesn’t come from comfort, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of joy.

8. Plan for All Weather (Even If It Looks Fine)

Weather changes quickly, especially in the bush, mountains or exposed tracks. Kids are more vulnerable to cold, wind, and sunburn.

Always pack:

• Rain jacket

• Wind layer

• Extra warm top

• Emergency blanket

• Sunscreen & lip balm

• First-aid kit (with plasters, antihistamines, antiseptic)

Don’t rely on the forecast alone. Assume conditions will shift and pack accordingly.

9. Set a Loose Schedule with Flexibility Built In

The biggest mistake? Pushing the pace.

• Start early, finish early

• Build in time for exploring, snacks, and slow moments

• Be okay with turning around if needed

Flexibility gives you freedom. And for kids, the journey is the destination.

10. Celebrate Their Wins Big or Small

A successful hike might be:

• Reaching the summit

• Managing their pack all day

• Crossing a creek

• Keeping a good attitude on a tough hill

Let them know you’re proud. Make post-hike rituals part of the story – hot chocolate, photos, telling someone the tale, or marking it off in a hiking log.

You’re not just building future hikers, you’re building their self-worth, memory bank, and sense of wild-hearted identity.

Adventure-Ready Kids Start with the Right Gear

At Bushbuck, we believe kids deserve high-performance gear that keeps them comfortable, capable, and confident. That’s why our Kids Adventure Range is designed with waterproofing, insulation, and durability that’s up to the task.

 From alpine hikes to forest day trips, we’ve got the layers, jackets, and kit to match your little explorer’s energy.

Explore the Bushbuck Kids Range