Part of having kids is the ability to share what's most important to you with them. Some of their best memories will be the days you spend teaching them to farm, fish, hunt, or build things. Experiencing nature together is a powerful bonding opportunity that will teach them respect and reverence for the outdoors, but also give them an understanding of the importance of exercise and movement.
Because experiencing nature is so important, it's a great idea to start that exposure as young as possible. Studies show definitively that even from infancy, children begin to form neurological connections that aid them in learning later on. By exposing your children to nature when they are babies, you are building a foundation that will serve them their whole lives.
With that in mind, it's important that you're prepared for your first hike with your baby. Even though you know how to navigate the forest or the beaches near your home, babies need a lot of stuff. We've put together a list of the most important essentials for a baby's first hike so that you can focus on bonding in nature instead of wondering if you remembered to pack everything or not.
All-Terrain Strollers
An all-terrain stroller will help you navigate the rocky pathways and mossy trails of your hike. The wheels on an all-terrain stroller can travel through sand and grip wet rocks with ease. Additionally, the suspension and sleeping area of the strollers are designed to absorb all of the shock that you'll encounter during your travels.
In particular, these all-terrain strollers are built with enough storage space that you can carry diapers, snacks, bottles, toys, and any other gear you need. They not only deliver you and your children in style, safety, and comfort, but they're designed to be responsive to pulling and pushing. This ensures that you can traverse any terrain effortlessly.
Tactical Diaper Bag
Diaper bags are incredibly useful for holding everything that you could possibly need to carry a young human around. Often, however, they are not designed specifically for dads. Tactical diaper bags are built with dads in mind in both style and functionality.
These tactical diaper bags are extremely durable with enough pockets to hold and separate every single thing that you could possibly need to take for your baby on a hike. From diapers to bottles to snacks, rash creams and first aid….if you need to bring it, there is a spot for it here.
Metal Thermos
A well-insulated metal thermos can hold bottle-temperature water for hours. Additionally, you can use a metal thermos to hold clean distilled water to drink without having to worry about exposing your child to the type of BPA plastics that are often in other water bottles.
Finally, a metal thermos is extremely durable and will last decades of even the roughest use. Every single man should have a large, well-built, metal thermos for work and for child rearing.
Blankets
It doesn't matter if the day is warm, you never know when your baby is going to need a blanket. Especially on a hike in the forest or along a beach. The weather can turn quickly and get cold, overcast, or wet. You might be able to dig a 10 degree drop in temperature, but babies are far more sensitive.
Make sure you always have at least one cozy, clean dry blanket and several cozy clean dry towels to take with you on any hike involving young children. You might think it's overkill, but trust me, when you need them, they are wonderful to have.
If you are hiking in a particularly sunny location, such as the beach, you can also use a thin linen or cotton towel to protect baby from the rays of the sun.
Snacks
If your baby is a little bit older and eating solid food in addition to taking bottles, then always bring snacks. And if your baby is still just taking bottles then bring snacks for yourself. The worst thing in the world is to hike deep into the woods and then have your blood glucose drop and be worried about pushing you and your children and all the stuff you've brought back out again. You never know when you'll need a snack, and definitely bring plenty of clean water for yourself to drink.
Luckily, if you're using a tactical diaper bag or an all-terrain stroller like we talked about earlier, you'll have plenty of space to pack all of the snacks and drinks you could ever want. Heck, you could use one of these strollers to throw a tailgate party in the woods; we won't tell anybody. Just make sure you bring a keg of chocolate milk for the kids.
Baby Carrier
Few things bond dads and kids more than carrying them around on your back or on your chest. If you can't bring a stroller with you through the woods, then a baby carrier is a fantastic option. It allows you to use your hands more freely while you hike, while allowing your baby to focus on the beauty of nature in front of them.
Plus, it's scientifically proven that a man with a baby strapped to him is 2,000% more attractive.
It's science; look it up.
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