Hiking With Young Children (Anglais)

This book is "the book" we wished we had found to encourage us to go hiking with our children and spend more time outdoors.

We consider the family as an expedition team, regardless of the time spent outside, where the well-being of all team members is valued for an enjoyable day outdoors. 

Parents play the role of the child's expedition guide and their task is to provide safety, meaning, and education about sustainability and the world. This manual goes beyond simply describing equipment. 

We describe how to explore nature safely with adequate planning and preparation. All aspects of the day with a baby, a toddler, and a little hiker (0 to 4 years) are covered, including rest, feeding, and defecation. 

It also describes how to bring meaning to the outdoor experience, through a collaborative and positive attitude, offering tools to help parents and children stay motivated, have fun, and connect with one another.

The book also covers nights spent with children on backpacking hikes and the changes to consider when a little brother or sister joins the team, or when hiking in a group with more children. 

Short informative sidebars with tips and personal experiences from the author are present in every chapter. They highlight particularly curious and useful aspects of hiking with children.

Stéphanie and Barbara have been working for 3 years on the Backpackingmoms project, a digital community dedicated to encouraging mothers to go outdoors with their young children, in a sustainable and meaningful way.

• Barbara Zennaro is an environmental scientist specializing in climate change. Originally from Rome, Italy, she began regularly visiting the mountains at just 18 years old, first through paragliding, then venturing on numerous backpacking trips around the world. She discovered a new side of herself after the arrival of her son: today, she is his own expedition guide and her mission is to share her passion for the environment with her son, bringing meaning and teaching sustainability during outdoor adventures, always in complete safety.

• Stephanie Klaus was born and raised in Lausanne, Switzerland. After completing her studies in environmental management, she pursued her admiration for nature in the Austrian mountains and made it her new home. The love of mountain hiking has been rooted in her family for several generations, and she had her first hiking experience at the age of five: it was the most natural thing for her to include her two sons in her outdoor adventures. She is a strong advocate for travel and educational experiences.