Hiking With Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Trail Safety

When hiking with children, it is important to prepare for common trail hazards such as ticks, poison ivy, uneven ground, exposed roots, rocks, and wildlife. Knowing what your child should wear, what to avoid on the trail, and what to check after your hike can help keep your family safe while spending time outdoors.

What Should Children Wear Hiking?

Closed-Toe Shoes

Children should wear sneakers or hiking shoes with good traction. Woodland trails can have exposed roots, rocks, sticks, mud, and uneven ground. Sandals, Crocs, and flip-flops leave more of the foot exposed and generally provide less protection on a woodland trail.

Long Pants and Long Socks

Long pants and socks provide a physical barrier between the skin and low vegetation, ticks, poison ivy, thorns, and sticks.

Light-colored clothing can make crawling ticks easier to spot.

For additional tick protection, pants can be tucked into socks, especially when hiking in areas with tall grass, brush, or leaf litter.

Weather-Appropriate Clothing

Check the weather before leaving home and dress children in clothing appropriate for the temperature and conditions.

Lightweight clothing is helpful during warm weather. Layers are useful on cooler days because they can be removed as temperatures change. A lightweight rain jacket can be useful when rain is possible.

A hat can provide additional protection from direct sunlight.

Sunscreen and insect repellent should be used according to their product directions.

Stay on the Trail

Staying on established trails is one of the simplest ways to reduce unnecessary exposure to several woodland hazards.

Ticks are commonly found in wooded and brushy areas, including tall grasses and leaf litter. Poison ivy and thorny vegetation may also grow along trail edges.

Walking through vegetation also increases the chance of stepping on hidden holes, branches, rocks, or uneven ground.

Whenever possible, walk near the center of the trail and avoid brushing against vegetation along the edges.

Staying on the trail also helps protect plants and reduces disturbance to wildlife habitat.

Slow Down on Roots, Rocks and Hills

Natural trails are uneven. Exposed tree roots, rocks, loose leaves, sticks, mud, puddles, and changes in elevation are all normal parts of woodland hiking. Young children often become excited and want to run ahead, but running on a woodland trail increases the chance of tripping. Encourage children to walk, watch the ground several steps ahead, and slow down when approaching rocks, roots, wet surfaces, or hills. Extra care should be taken when walking downhill or over wet leaves, mud, rocks, and wooden surfaces because they may be slippery.

Look Before Touching

Children naturally want to pick up the things they find outside. Pinecones, acorns, sticks, leaves, insects, mushrooms, berries, feathers, and rocks can all attract their attention.

A good rule on a woodland trail is to identify something before handling it.

Unknown plants, berries, mushrooms, insects, animal droppings, nests, and other unfamiliar objects should be observed without touching.

Even familiar objects deserve a quick look before a child picks them up. A spider or insect may be hiding inside a pinecone or underneath a loose piece of bark. A walking stick may have a poison ivy vine wrapped around it.

Don't Reach Where You Can't See

Children should never place their hands underneath logs or rocks or reach into tree cavities, holes in the ground, thick leaf piles, or other hidden spaces. These areas can provide shelter for insects, spiders, salamanders, small mammals, snakes, and other wildlife. There is usually no reason to reach inside a hidden space to investigate it. Children can observe from a safe distance instead.

Leave Large Logs and Rocks Alone

A fallen log may look like something fun to flip over, but the space underneath it can be an important habitat. Salamanders, millipedes, insects, spiders, and other small animals use the cool, damp conditions underneath logs and rocks for shelter. Moving a large log or rock can disturb that habitat and expose small animals to dry air, sunlight, or predators. Small, loose natural objects can sometimes be examined safely, but large logs and partly buried rocks are best left in place.

Learn to Recognize Poison Ivy

Poison ivy is common on Long Island, so parents should learn to recognize it before hiking with children. The familiar phrase "Leaves of three, let it be" is a useful starting point, but poison ivy does not always look exactly the same. It may grow along the ground, as a shrub, or as a climbing vine. All parts of poison ivy contain urushiol, an oily substance that can cause an itchy rash in people who are sensitive to it. The leaves, stems, roots, and vines can contain the oil, and contact is still possible when the plant has lost its leaves. Staying on established trails and avoiding unknown plants are two simple ways to reduce accidental contact.

Be Tick Smart

Ticks are an important consideration when spending time outdoors on Long Island. They are commonly found in wooded and brushy areas, tall grass, shrubs, and leaf litter. You can reduce exposure by keeping your child on the trail, avoiding tall vegetation, using appropriate insect repellent, and choosing clothing that provides more skin coverage.

After spending time outdoors, perform a careful tick check on both children and adults.

Check the entire body, paying particular attention to:

-Scalp and hairline

-In and around the ears

-Under the arms

-Around the waist

-Between the legs

-Behind the knees

-Around the ankles

Ticks can be very small, so check carefully.

Clothing, shoes, backpacks, and other gear should also be checked because ticks can be carried indoors on belongings. Follow current CDC and local public-health recommendations for tick prevention, clothing, showering, tick removal, and what to do after a tick bite.

Give Wildlife Space

Seeing an animal on the trail can be one of the most exciting parts of hiking with a child. Wild animals should still be observed from a distance. Children should not chase, feed, corner, pick up, or attempt to pet wildlife. Even small animals can bite, scratch, or sting when frightened or handled. Binoculars and magnifying lenses allow children to get a closer look while leaving the animal where it belongs.

Leave Natural Objects Where You Find Them

Acorns, pinecones, fallen leaves, sticks, flowers, seeds, bark, and other natural materials are part of the woodland ecosystem. They can provide food, shelter, nesting material, and nutrients for other organisms. Instead of collecting everything interesting you find, take a photograph, make an observation, or examine an appropriate object and return it to where it was found. Some natural objects, including many native bird feathers, eggs, and nests, are also protected under federal law.

Bring Water and Watch the Temperature

Young children may become tired or overheated before they clearly tell you that they need a break. Bring enough water for everyone and offer it regularly, particularly during warm or humid weather. Watch for changes in your child's behavior and how they are feeling. Stop the hike if a child becomes unusually tired, dizzy, weak, sick, very hot, very cold, or otherwise unwell. Weather conditions should always be considered before starting a hike.

Keep Your Children Close

Young children should remain close enough to their parent or caregiver that they can be seen and reached quickly. Running far ahead on a trail can put a child around a bend or out of sight within seconds. If a child does become separated from their adult, they should know to stop rather than continue walking and call out for their parent or caregiver.

What Can Children Safely Examine?

Children can learn a tremendous amount from looking closely at the things they find outside. With adult supervision, common natural objects such as a loose pinecone, acorn, small stick, small loose rock, or correctly identified fallen leaf can be examined. Check the object first. Make sure there are no hidden insects, sharp edges, splinters, or plants such as poison ivy attached to it. When finished, return natural objects to where they were found.

Pinecones

Look between the scales before allowing a child to pick up a pinecone because small insects or spiders may be hiding inside. Pinecones are also worth looking at closely. Children may notice different shapes, open and closed scales, seeds, or evidence that an animal has been feeding on them.

Acorns

Acorns are an important food source for many woodland animals. Look for caps, different shapes and sizes, insect holes, and tooth marks left by animals. If you have a young child who tends to put things in their mouth, supervise them closely around acorns. Acorns are small and can be a choking hazard. Children should not eat acorns found on the trail.

Sticks

Check a stick before a child handles it. Avoid sticks that are sharp, badly splintered, covered by an unknown plant, or used by an animal. Children should never run while carrying sticks, swing them near other people, or point them toward someone's face.

Fallen Leaves

Leaves are excellent for looking at shape, veins, edges, color, and insect damage. Identify the plant before handling the leaf. Fallen poison ivy leaves can still contain urushiol.

What Should Children Leave Alone?

Some trail finds should be observed without handling.

Poison ivy: Avoid contact with poison ivy leaves, stems, roots, and vines. All parts of the plant contain urushiol, an oil that can cause an itchy rash in people who are sensitive to it.

Poison ivy can look different depending on the season. It usually has three leaflets, which may be shiny or dull green during the spring and summer and can turn yellow, orange, or red in the fall. Poison ivy can grow along the ground, as a shrub, or as a climbing vine.

Poison ivy can also produce small clusters of pale green or yellowish flowers, followed by small whitish or grayish berries. Birds and other wildlife may eat the berries, but people should not eat them. The plant can still contain urushiol after the leaves have fallen, so avoid touching bare poison ivy vines and stems during the winter as well.

For more information on how to identify poison ivy and common plants that may look similar, read Poison Ivy Identification Guide.

Unknown berries: Never allow a child to eat a wild berry unless it has been positively identified as safe to eat. Some wild berries can be toxic and may cause symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or other serious reactions if eaten. Berries that are safe and berries that are harmful can sometimes look similar, so color alone cannot tell you whether a berry is safe. With young children who may put things in their mouths, supervise them closely around plants with berries. When you are unsure what a plant is, leave the berries on the plant and observe them without tasting them. 

Wild mushrooms: Children should never eat wild mushrooms. If you have young children, I recommend leaving mushrooms where you find them and observing them without picking them up. Some wild mushrooms are poisonous if eaten, and young children may put their hands or objects in their mouths. Unless you can confidently identify the mushroom, it is safest to leave it alone.

Animal droppings: Do not touch or handle animal scat with bare hands. Animal droppings can contain bacteria, parasites, and other organisms that may cause illness. Children should also avoid stepping on scat or poking it with sticks. If your child accidentally touches animal droppings, clean their hands thoroughly with soap and water as soon as possible. Scat can still be interesting to observe from a safe distance; you may notice its size, shape, contents, and location, which can provide clues about what type of animal left it behind and what it may have eaten.

Bird nests and eggs: Observe bird nests and eggs from a distance and never touch, move, or remove them. A nest that looks empty may still be active, and parent birds may be nearby gathering food. Getting too close or repeatedly disturbing the area can disrupt nesting birds. Many native wild birds, their nests, and eggs are also protected by federal law, so it is best to leave them exactly where you find them.

Wild bird feathers: Leave wild bird feathers where you find them. Under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, possessing feathers from many native migratory bird species is prohibited without authorization, even if you found the feather naturally on the ground. Instead of taking a feather home, children can observe its color, shape, size, and pattern where it was found or take a photograph of it.

Spider webs: Observe spider webs without breaking or touching them. Spiders build webs to catch prey, and some use silk to create shelters or protect their eggs. A web may also have a spider or egg sac nearby that is difficult to see at first. Encourage children to look closely at the shape and pattern of the web without disturbing it. A magnifying glass can be used to get a closer look while leaving the web intact.

Wild animals and unknown insects: Observe wild animals and insects without grabbing, picking up, or handling them. Even small animals may bite, scratch, sting, or release defensive chemicals when they feel threatened. Some insects and animals can also be injured easily when handled. Encourage children to watch how an animal moves and behaves instead. Use binoculars to observe wildlife from a distance or a magnifying glass to look more closely at small insects without touching them. If you do not know what an animal or insect is, give it space and leave it where you found it.

Broken glass, sharp metal or other hazardous litter: Keep children away and notify an adult or appropriate park staff.

Before You Leave the Trail

Take a few minutes to check your and your child's clothing, shoes, and gear for ticks. One of my favorite extra steps is to keep a lint roller in the car and roll it over clothing, socks, shoes, and bags before getting inside. A lint roller may pick up some loose, crawling ticks that have not attached yet, but it should not replace a careful tick check.

Once you get home, check your child's entire body carefully for ticks, including the scalp, hairline, behind the ears, under the arms, around the waist, between the legs, behind the knees, and around the ankles. Check adults too, and follow current recommendations for showering and handling clothing after spending time outside.

Once home, check everyone's skin carefully and inspect clothing and gear. Follow current public-health recommendations for showering and handling clothing after possible tick exposure. It only takes a few extra minutes, and making it part of your regular hiking routine makes it easier to remember.

Safe Exploration Is Still Exploration

Your safety and your child’s safety are very important. However, being safe on the trail doesn’t mean children can’t get close to nature and enjoy everything there is to discover.

Children can use binoculars to watch a bird, look at a tiny insect through a magnifying glass, compare oak, maple, and sassafras leaves, examine tiny holes in an acorn, search for animal tracks, listen for bird calls, or stop to investigate a mark on a tree.

At Little Hikers Long Island, I teach children to slow down, look closely, and learn about the plants, insects, and wildlife around them while also learning how to explore the trail safely and respectfully. To learn more about the program and upcoming classes visit: Little Hikers Long Island