Between being involved in a forest school group, an outdoor based homeschool co-op, and our love for hiking and all things nature related, our family tends to spend a lot of time on the trails and exploring in the woods or by the river. I used to try to carry everything in my backpack, but with 3 kids and myself to pack for, it got to be too much for me to carry on my own. Last year I bought each of my girls their own backpack, and it's been a game changer! My youngest is only 4 so her backpack is small, but even she can carry a few small things for our day. Below I share the things that we most often carry in our adventuring packs.
Canteens- Each of us has a stainless steel canteen (I carry my 4-year-old's in my pack since it's a bit heavy for her still). Mine is a Kleen Kanteen and the kids have Your Zone canteens we bought at Walmart. I like stainless steel because it's non-toxic and easy to clean.
First Aid Kit- Each of my kids has a mini first aid kit in their packs with band aids and a tiny spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide for cleaning cuts and scrapes. I keep a more extensive first aid kit in my backpack. Some of the things I typically keep it stocked with are band aids, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol wipes, tweezers, gauze, medical tape, and drawing salve.
Sunscreen- I always keep a tube of mineral sunscreen in my backpack for days we end up with lots of mid-day sun exposure.
Pocket Microscope- My kids each have a pock microscope that they carry in their packs. Pocket microscopes are exactly what it sounds like- microscopes small enough to fit in your pocket. They are perfect for checking out leaves, moss, lichens, and tiny bugs up close. This is the one my kids have: the Carson MicroBite Plus.
Magnifying Glass- In addition to her pocket microscope, my 12-year-old usually carries her magnifying glass for looking at stuff that doesn't fit correctly under the pocket microscope. In case of emergency, she also knows how to use it to signal for help or start a fire.
Binoculars- My kids LOVE to bird watch so we almost always carry at least one pair of binoculars with us. We have a couple of fairly cheap pairs that the kids carry and one nicer pair that I carry.
If your looking for a good quality pair of binoculars, we have the Celestron Nature DX 10x42 and have been really happy with them!
Bird Guide- Since we do a lot of bird watching, we usually bring a bird guide with us. The two we use most often are Birds of North America: A Guide to Identification and The Kids Guide to Birds of Texas from National Geographic.
Insect Pocket Guide- We also enjoy trying to identify new insects that we come across on our outdoor adventures, so we keep our handy insect pocket guide in one of our packs.
Specimen Containers- My kids like to bring home dead insects and cool lichens, and other interesting things that they come across to look at under our LED screen microscope. Often, it's something that would crumble if carried in a pocket or bag, so we keep small plastic containers in our packs to put those types of things in.
*Check the craft section at the store for small containers.
Nature Journal + Colored Pencils- My kids each have a nature journal to record things that they find interesting in. In the past we've used the Exploring Nature Journal for Kids by Kim Andrews. This year we're just using plain 5x7 sketch books. I keep a pencil bag full of colored pencils and a pencil sharpener in my bag for all of us.
Snacks- Hiking and exploring burns a lot of calories so we tend to need a lot of snacks. I usually have each of my kids put a small snack in their own bag, so that they have easy access to something, and then I keep extra snacks in my backpack. Some of our favorite trail friendly foods include beef jerky, cashews, raisins, apple sauce pouches, apples, mandarin oranges, fruit leather, and granola bars.
Plastic Rain Poncho- We live in an area where thunderstorms often strike without much warning, so we each carry a plastic rain poncho in our packs in case we get caught in a downpour. Other items to consider, depending on the climate where you live: an umbrella, extra socks, gloves, hand warmers, and hats.
Bug Spray- Many bug repellents on the market contain DEET or other harmful chemicals, so I make my own with essential oils. You can find the recipe here (and yes, it really works).
Pepper Spray and a Taser- Just in case something crazy ever happens, like a dog or some other animal attack, or an attack by a human, I carry both pepper spray and a taser on me, in a place that I can easily access it (usually my pocket).
Trail Maps- We are often able to access trail maps via Google Maps on my phone, but in the instances that we cannot, I usually print a map or take a photo or screenshot of the trail system map with my phone.
If you enjoyed this post, check out:
Nature Journaling: How to Get Started
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