Take a hike with baby

In our first winter as parents, I would put the baby in an old pushchair we got from Friday Ad for £10 (and, to be honest, that’s about what I’d have paid for it new with its shallow seat and completely unfathomable fold-up mechanism). The pushchair had a plastic cover that kept most of the rain out, unless it was really lashing – and we did get caught out in a few rainstorms! But I could still only realistically be out for half an hour before my son would start to make his frustration known and we’d have to head home. And the dog was getting considerably more rotund around the middle!

Back carrier convert
I always promised myself pre-children that any little folk I shared my life with would spend a large quantity of their time outdoors. But how to make this happen when the pushchair was such an obvious failure? Well, admittedly I had to wait for slightly better weather but since the days have brightened up, I’ve become a complete convert to the aptly named Little Life Explorer back carrier. We come from a family who loves walks and enjoys an annual walking family together, and the back carrier was a gift from my sister and brother-in-law in anticipation of all the walks we’d share. It’s turned out to be one of the best gifts our son was given (and he was given a few!).

Exploring the great outdoors
This week we have been exploring different landscapes. Wednesday saw a walk across windswept cliffs, with the sea on one side and rolling down-land on the other. It was so windy I was concerned my son would find it distressing but he seemed to pick up on my sense of exhilaration as we ran down steep slopes and whooped with delight. He was pretty snotty when I got him out later from the wind gusts in his face but his cheeks were rosy and he slept very well in the car on the way home! Thursday was a walk through enchanting bluebell woods, so captivating to both of us that we sat for about half an hour in silence listening to the birdsong and breathing in the sweet smell of the flowers. This kind of meditative time would be impossible to instigate at home, but there’s something about the stillness of woodland that seems to calm little ones, even at their most active and vocal. On Friday we took to the fields and discovered a flock of sheep who followed us through the field to a stile, much to our hysterical amusement. We found the perfect place to relax and crawl around in – a stream with overhanging willows, cue some splashing and much laughter.

I’ve gradually been building up our mileage so that we can take the dog on the kind of walks she used to enjoy so much. Each week of exploration opens up new experiences and I’m so happy to be sharing them with my son. These are the tips I’ve learnt so far on our forays into the great outdoors together:

1. Stretch before and after your walk
Although the weight is distributed evenly and the back carrier is gloriously comfortable, I have still found it really pays to have a good stretch – especially after the walk. Just easing out the shoulders and doing a few hip openers helped prevent any tweaks the next day if I’d been for a longer walk.

2. Take breaks
Probably key to all walks with children, breaking up your walk feels especially important for little ones in carriers. They get a chance to crawl around and touch the grass and earth, and you get a chance to have a rest from carrying.

3. Pack snacks and goodies
There’s a real pleasure in sitting out looking at a vista and enjoying a snack – how much better does an apple taste when you’re eating it under the trees?! Snacks are vital if you’re out for longer walks and are a helpful way of breaking up the day – stopping for picnics in beautiful locations.

4. Talk!
So far, this seems to solve most of the grizzles of restlessness or boredom. Spotting things together, singing a song when climbing hills, and generally keeping a dialogue going not only helps a child develop speech (I think, or at least I’ve learnt a few curious new words from my son!) but also makes for shared adventures.

5. Head towards exciting landmarks
Landmarks might include a huge tree, the beach, a café, a farm (with tractors, hooray!), animals in a field, or a special secret location – ours is a cave created by overhanging trees.

Get outside and top up your vitamin D – happy hiking!