Ticks: What Every Family Should Know

Ticks are something to be aware of, but not a reason to keep children indoors. With the right habits and awareness, families can enjoy nature safely while still giving children the many benefits that outdoor time provides.

Why Children Need Time Outdoors:

Regular time in nature supports children’s physical health, attention, emotional regulation, and overall development. When children spend time outdoors, they move their bodies, develop balance and coordination, observe living things, and learn about the world around them through direct experience.

At Little Hikers, children learn about insects, animals, plants, and weather while exploring the forest. These experiences help children develop curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong connection to nature.

At the same time, it is important to understand that ticks are not only found on hiking trails. They can also be present in backyards, gardens, parks, and grassy fields.

I experienced this personally with my own children. One afternoon my daughter came inside after playing in our backyard and we found a tick on her leg. Another time, after playing soccer on a grassy field at the park, we found a tick in her hair. These situations can happen almost anywhere outdoors.

But the solution is not keeping children inside. The solution is education and daily awareness.

How Ticks Behave:

Ticks do not jump or fly. Instead, they sit on grasses, leaves, and low shrubs and wait for animals or people to brush past. This behavior is called questing. When someone passes by, the tick can transfer onto clothing or skin.

Most tick encounters happen when people walk through tall vegetation, brush, or leaf litter.

Simple Habits That Dramatically Reduce Tick Exposure:

There are several simple steps that significantly reduce the chance of ticks attaching.

Stay toward the center of the trail
Ticks are most often found along the edges of trails where grasses and shrubs grow. Staying toward the middle reduces contact with vegetation.

Wear light-colored clothing
Light clothing makes it easier to see ticks before they attach.

Create barriers with clothing
When walking through brush or taller vegetation, tuck pants into socks. This helps prevent ticks from crawling under clothing.

Use insect repellent when appropriate
Many families choose to use tick repellents recommended for outdoor use. Some also use permethrin-treated clothing, which can help repel ticks (parents should consult their pediatrician if they have questions).

Use a lint roller before getting into the car
Running a lint roller over clothing can remove ticks that may be crawling on fabric before they attach.

Shower after outdoor play
Showering soon after coming inside can help wash off ticks that have not attached yet.

How to Do a Daily Tick Check:

A full-body tick check takes about a minute and is one of the best ways to prevent tick-borne illness. Do it every day, not just after hiking. Ticks can be picked up in backyards, school playgrounds, sports fields, parks, farms, and anywhere there are grasses, shrubs, leaf litter, or wooded edges.

Ticks often crawl for several minutes to several hours before settling into a protected spot. They prefer warm, hidden areas where clothing fits tightly or skin folds together. Deer tick nymphs, which are responsible for many cases of Lyme disease, are only about the size of a poppy seed, so use good lighting and look closely.

Check these areas carefully:

1. Scalp and hairline
   Part the hair in several places and run your fingers through the scalp, feeling for tiny bumps. Pay special attention around the forehead, temples, and the hairline at the back of the neck. Young children are especially likely to have ticks on the head and neck.

2. In and behind the ears
   Look behind both ears and inside the folds of the outer ear. These are some of the most commonly missed locations.

3. Neck
   Check the front, sides, and especially the back of the neck where shirt collars rest.

4. Under the arms
   Lift each arm and check the entire armpit, not just the center. Also check where shirt sleeves touch the skin.

5. Waistline
   Look all the way around the waistband where shorts, underwear, or elastic clothing sits. Ticks often stop where clothing presses against the skin.

6. Belly button
   A quick look inside the belly button is important because ticks can hide there unnoticed.

7. Groin and buttocks
   Check the groin, between the legs, around the underwear line, and between the buttocks. These warm, protected areas are common attachment sites.

8. Behind the knees
   Bend each knee and look carefully in the crease. This is one of the most common places ticks attach.

9. Legs and ankles
   Check behind the calves, around the ankles, and especially where socks meet the skin.

10. Feet
    Don't forget the tops of the feet, between the toes, and around the heels.

A few extra tips:

• Feel as well as look. Tiny ticks can be easier to feel than to see.
• Check children while changing clothes or before bath time.
• Showering soon after coming indoors can help wash away unattached ticks and makes it easier to do a full-body check.
• If you find a tick attached, remove it promptly with fine-tipped tweezers by grasping it as close to the skin as possible and pulling straight upward with steady, even pressure.

Making tick checks part of your daily routine is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the risk of tick-borne illness.

How I Reduce Tick Risk on the Trail

At Little Hikers, we take several simple precautions to reduce tick exposure while still giving children meaningful outdoor experiences.

Hikes are on established trails, open woodland paths, and designated activity areas whenever possible. We avoid taking children through tall grass, overgrown vegetation, dense brush, or thick shrubs, since ticks are more likely to wait on vegetation in these areas for an animal or person to brush past.

Throughout class, I remind children to stay on the trail and avoid wandering into vegetation. 

I recommend that children wear closed-toe shoes with long socks. Light-colored clothing can also make it easier to spot ticks crawling on clothing before they attach.

A lint roller is always available at the end of class. While it won't remove an attached tick, it can help remove ticks that are still crawling on clothing. I encourage families to quickly roll pant legs, socks, shoes, and the lower half of clothing before getting into the car.

Before every season begins, I also teach families how to identify poison ivy, stay on marked trails, and safely explore the outdoors with confidence.

Finally, I encourage every family to perform a full-body tick check every day, not just after hiking. Ticks can be picked up in backyards, school playgrounds, sports fields, neighborhood parks, farms, and any area with grass, shrubs, leaf litter, or wooded edges. A daily tick check is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the risk of tick-borne illness.

Final Thoughts:

Ticks are part of living in a natural environment, but they should not prevent children from experiencing the outdoors.

The benefits of outdoor play are enormous. Children who spend time outside develop stronger bodies, better balance, improved attention, and a deeper connection to the natural world. They climb hills, observe insects, listen to birds, and experience the changing seasons.

With simple habits and daily awareness, families can enjoy nature safely. And those outdoor experiences are some of the most important parts of childhood.

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