How to Stop Kids Whining on Hikes: 10 Practical Tips That Actually Work

If you've ever taken your kids hiking, you've probably heard some version of:

"I'm tired."

"How much longer?"

"I'm hungry."

"I don't want to walk anymore."

And sometimes, despite your best efforts, the whining is simply going to happen.

Kids get tired. They get hungry. They get bored. Their socks feel funny. Someone else is walking in front of them. There is a particularly interesting stick three metres off the track that absolutely must be investigated.

That's normal.

The good news is that you can do quite a lot to prevent the little complaints from turning into a full-blown "I HATE THIS! I AM NEVER DOING IT AGAIN" situation.

After years of taking kids outdoors, I've found that the biggest difference isn't finding the perfect trick to keep children entertained. It's learning to set the hike up well, pay attention to what your kids are telling you/watch for cues before they verbalise it, and be prepared to change your plan when you need to.

Here are 10 practical things that can help.

2. Do your preparation before you leave

A surprisingly large amount of hiking misery can be prevented before you even put your boots on.

Check the weather in the days leading up. Make sure everyone has eaten. Choose appropriate clothing. Make sure everyone has water. Pack food and the essentials you'll need for the conditions.

And think about the day as a whole.

If you're trying to squeeze a hike into a busy morning before racing home for three other commitments, everyone is going to feel that pressure.

Where possible, leave early enough that you aren't watching the clock.

I even like to remove some of the jobs waiting for me at home before I go. If dinner needs to be taken out of the freezer, do it before you leave. If there are errands that can wait, let them wait.

Make the hike the thing you're doing that day.

When you aren't stressed about getting home, your kids don't feel that pressure either.

3. Don't wait until they're starving to offer food

Starting the hike with a full belly is a great place to start.

If you're like me, ever since the kids were small I had a rogue muesli bar in the pocket of every jacket, bag and car centre console, just in case. This is no different.

When you're getting yourselves ready at the car, consider having a snack or an early lunch before you set off. It's another small part of the preparation that can help prevent everyone from starting the walk already hungry.

Once you're on the trail, hunger is one of the cues that it might be time for a break.

If they're asking for food, that's an obvious one. But you might also notice that they're becoming irritable, losing interest in what they're doing or starting to slow down. Sometimes they're genuinely hungry. Sometimes they're thirsty, bored, or simply ready to stop for a few minutes.

Keep an eye on your kids and learn their cues.

I prefer to treat snacks and breaks as part of the hike rather than something that only happens reluctantly when things have gone wrong.

And yes, sometimes the snack break is half the fun.

That's okay.

4. Plan for breaks, but don't make them rigid

I like to have a rough expectation that we'll stop for a break at least every 30 minutes.

But that doesn't mean I set a timer and announce, "Sorry, we can't stop yet. We've only been walking for 23 minutes."

Pay attention instead.

Some kids will happily walk for longer at the beginning of a hike before needing a break. Others will need one sooner. As the day progresses, you may find that everyone needs more frequent stops.

Watch the child, not the clock.

If they're doing brilliantly, keep the momentum going.

If they're starting to flag, stop.

The goal isn't to stick perfectly to your original schedule. The goal is to have a good day outside.

5. Let them stop and investigate things

Sometimes what looks like whining is actually boredom.

Kids don't necessarily experience a trail the same way adults do. You're thinking about reaching the viewpoint. They're wondering what's under that log.

Let them investigate.

Stop to look at interesting rocks, poke around in the leaves, watch insects, throw stones or examine something they have found.

Those little pauses can completely change the feel of a hike.

And they don't have to take half an hour.

Sometimes two minutes of investigating something interesting is enough to reset everyone before you keep walking.

The destination matters to you.

The experience matters to them.

6. Give them small goals along the way

"We're nearly there" isn't particularly helpful when your child has no idea where "there" is.

Instead, break the walk into little sections.

It might be:

• Let's get to that bend.

• Can you spot the next bridge?

• Let's walk to that big tree.

• Can you find the next trail marker?

• Let's see what's around the corner.

Small, achievable goals can make a longer walk feel much more manageable.

And they give kids something to focus on besides the fact that their legs are getting tired.

7. Give everyone a turn at the front

If you're hiking with more than one child, try rotating who gets to lead.

Being the person at the front can be surprisingly motivating.

One child leads for a while, then the next gets a turn. If someone drops back, they can walk with you for a bit before moving back to the front.

It gives everyone a little responsibility and creates another reason to keep moving.

And if you're dealing with a particularly difficult stretch of trail, sometimes simply changing positions is enough to lift the mood.

8. Keep a few tiny morale boosters in your pocket

I'm not against bribery.

There, I said it.

Not every hike needs to become a negotiation involving a bag of lollies, but there are times when a tiny morale boost can help get you through a difficult patch.

For example, I sometimes carry tiny chocolate chips, little lollies or yogurt-covered raisins.

Nothing substantial.

If we're rotating who leads, a child who drops back to walk beside me might get one or two little treats.

It's not about rewarding them for walking.

It's more like a tiny "Yep, you're doing great. Keep going."

Use this one sensibly. If your kids start asking for chocolate every time you go for a walk, you've probably created a different problem!

9. Notice the warning signs before the whining starts

This is probably one of the most useful skills you can develop as a parent taking kids hiking.

Don't wait until someone is crying to decide they need a break.

Watch them.

Are they getting quieter?

Are they becoming unusually silly or disruptive?

Are they repeatedly asking to stop?

Are they suddenly interested in every single thing beside the trail?

Are they getting hungry or thirsty?

Are they starting to argue with their siblings?

Those can all be signs that they're reaching their limit.

You don't need to follow a strict schedule. You need to be observant.

The more time you spend hiking with your kids, the better you'll become at recognising their particular signals.

10. Remember that different kids need different things

This might be the most important one of all.

Your children are individuals.

What worked beautifully for one child might completely fail with another.

One might happily walk for an hour without much fuss. Another might need regular stops, snacks, encouragement and something interesting to look at every few minutes.

That doesn't mean one child is "better" at hiking.

It means they're different.

I've learned this myself over the years. Even when you think you've got family hiking figured out, a new child can come along and completely change your approach.

And that's okay.

The goal isn't to make every child behave like the ideal little hiker you've imagined in your head.

The goal is to figure out what helps this particular child enjoy being outdoors.

What if they still whine?

Sometimes you've done everything right and they're still complaining.

That's okay too.

They're kids.

They might be tired. They might be cold. They might have had enough. Or they might simply have decided that today is the day they're going to complain about absolutely everything.

You don't have to "fix" every bit of whining.

Instead, pause and reassess.

Are they hungry?

Thirsty?

Cold?

Too hot?

Actually tired?

Bored?

Overstimulated?

Is the hike still achievable?

Do you need a break?

Do you need to change the plan?

Sometimes the best hiking decision you can make is to turn around.

That isn't failing.

Knowing when enough is enough is part of learning to hike as a family.

The secret to happier family hikes isn't keeping kids entertained

It might be tempting to think that you need a bag full of hiking games, rewards and activities to stop your kids whining.

You don't.

Those things can be useful, but they're not the foundation of a good family hike.

Start with a realistic hike.

Prepare properly.

Make sure everyone is fed, comfortable and appropriately dressed.

Leave enough time.

Pay attention to your kids.

Take breaks before everyone reaches breaking point.

Let them investigate things.

And be willing to change your plan when the day isn't going the way you expected.

Most importantly, don't measure a successful hike by how far you travelled.

If everyone comes home having enjoyed being outside together, that's a successful hike.

And the more positive experiences your kids have outdoors, the more likely they are to want to do it again.