Backpacking with Children: How to Go Lightweight, Have Fun, and Stay Safe on the Trail

by Malia Maunakea

Backpacking as a family creates memories to last a lifetime and can be the start of a child’s lifelong passion for nature and the outdoors. But hiking successfully with kids takes planning. Knowing how to start, where to go, and what to bring are crucial to everyone’s enjoyment. The benefits of going lightweight with kids are huge, since the easier it is to hike, the more fun everyone will have!

Backpacking with Children  teaches the basics of backpacking with kids--how to make it easy, fun, and as comfortably lightweight as possible without breaking the bank. With intel on gear, meals, games, choosing a route, and dealing with weather, animals, accidents, and more, Backpacking with Children  is an indispensable resource for any family seeking to share their love of the outdoors together.

224 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2023

About the author

Malia Maunakea is a Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) writer who grew up in the rainforest of the Big Island before moving to a valley in Oʻahu in seventh grade to attend a school founded by a Hawaiian princess (Imua, Kamehameha!).

Though she relocated to Colorado for college, Hawaiʻi has remained in her heart. Now, instead of tromping through the rainforest, she roams the Rocky Mountains with her husband, two children, and rescue mutt, Peggy. 

Growing up with ADHD meant school could be tough, but Hawaiian legends managed to captivate Malia’s imagination and stuck. Her ever-whirring brain is excited to spin new tales for the next generation, especially when she can weave in a whisper of island lore.

Reviews

[Beth Gawlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all complain that kids spend way too much inside and on screens these days, but what are we as parents going to do about it? Getting your kids into the great outdoors is an ideal antidote to our sedentary day to day lifestyles at work and school. Backpacking and even base camping with kids can be daunting, but the author breaks it down step by step so that even a beginner can gain the confidence to try out backpacking with kids. My family didn't backpack when our kids were little, but I found the information to be useful as a scout leader as well. If you're considering braving the trail with kids but don't know where to start, this little book is your ideal companion.