Monday, December 21, 2015

Snowshoeing with Kids

Every year we go snowshoeing at Mount Seymour with our kids.  We own our snowshoes and hike in the Provincial Park so it is free! They have many other trails that you can pay to use at an affordable price ($10/child.)  This year we had the most beautiful snow we have seen up there – it was gorgeous!



  About ten minutes into our snowshoe, I asked Koen how much energy he had and he said 88% left.  Thirty seconds later he gave me an update: 23%.  Snowshoeing is always an adventure for our family and that is mostly in regards to our kids' attitudes as it's cold, they are in different clothing, and it takes a few minutes to get used to walking in snowshoes.

My tips for snowshoeing with kids:

1. Arrive early for a good parking spot so you don't have to spend too long getting the trail head. We usually aim to arrive at 9 am.


2.  Give the older kids their own backpacks and hydration packs if you have them.  Then you won't be opening your backpack every 5 minutes to get them water.



3. Snacks.  It takes a lot of energy to snowshoe so make sure to have snack breaks!


4. Wear layers. You never know what the conditions will be like; toques and gloves are a must.  Snow pants aren't necessary, rain pants work just fine. 


5. Have a giant bin for all of your clothes in the trunk (toques, glove, pants, jackets etc.)  Then, once you are done you can toss all of the wet stuff in there. Maybe take some extra dry socks in case someone's boots aren't completely waterproof.


6. Be flexible.  You might envision getting to the peak but making it just halfway to the lake is okay too.  Let them slide down the hills or write their names in the snow; it's more about the journey (I remind myself of this frequently.)

7.  Bring a thermos of hot chocolate!  We have ours once we're done – it's the perfect way to warm up and celebrate!

8.  Take a carrier for kids four and under.  They can get out and run around in their boots a bit but I do find it is difficult for younger kids to "get" snowshoeing. 


9.  Bring a hiking pole.  Our six-year-old found that it helped him up hills and when he didn't use it, Gary used it as a "selfie stick" for his GoPro.


10.  Make sure to wear comfortable waterproof boots.  One year we made the mistake of putting Koen in boots he hadn't worn before and when the blisters came, the snowshoeing was no longer fun.




{"Snow is my favourite season" said Nya}



I hope that no matter where you are, you have the chance to enjoy some snowy goodness this December!

Love, 
Louise

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful snow! I am afraid we are in for a green Christmas here in SW Ontario.

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    1. This is about an hour from our house and it's 50/50 right now whether we'll get snow for Christmas!

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  2. So beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration!!

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    1. Thanks :) Let me know if you want to borrow them!

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  3. It was so foggy when we were up there, but didn't realize there were "free" trails to use too. Next time.

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