Is it Possible to “Leave No Trace” with Kids in Tow?
The short answer? Probably not. We are human and we all make mistakes and overlook things sometimes. Maybe you didn’t see that piece of trash that fell from your pack while wrangling a toddler. Or maybe you let your explorer grab a handful of natural items (think rocks, pinecones, etc.) because they would be “just the thing they need for their nature collage”. Nobody’s perfect, right?
Here’s the thing though. The Leave No Trace Movement isn’t about being perfect and leaving absolutely no trace every time. It’s about educating people about the impact our actions can have on the environment and inspiring everyone to protect the environment by recreating responsibly. In other words, it may not be possible to leave zero trace all the time, but it is possible to reduce the impact we have when we are exploring nature.
“But how do we do that when we are busy running after kiddos and trying not to get lost at the same time?” I’m so glad you asked. Getting kids involved in following the seven Leave No Trace Principles not only teaches them the importance of their impact on the environment. It also makes things easier on you in the long run once they are in the habit of following them naturally. Below I will explain what each principle entails along with ways to get your kiddos involved in following them as a family.
LNT Principle 1 – Plan Ahead and Prepare
Before you head out on any adventure, whether it’s a backcountry camping trip or a short hike at a local trail, planning and preparation are essential. This could be as simple as checking the weather and packing some snacks for a short local hike. On the other hand, it could be as complicated as calculating elevation, planning where to stop to make camp, planning meals, etc. for a backpacking trip.
Here are some tips for planning and preparing for your adventure, along with getting your family involved in the planning process:
Remember to pack the 10 Essentials, regardless of where you’re going (you can read more about that in this article on what to pack for hiking with kids. Kids can pack their personal adventure pack to take along, including things like a snack, water, and adventure tools (my oldest likes to take his nature journal and a pocket microscope).
Assess the abilities of each participant as you plan for the distance and difficulty of your trip. I like to base this one on how far my youngest walker can hike without needing to be constantly reminded to keep going.
My kids love helping me check the weather forecast before we leave. We then use that information to help them decide what clothing they should wear to stay comfortable.
Looking at a trail map (whether a paper map, online map, or phone app), decide as a family which route you want to take, how far you want to go, or where to camp for the night.
If your kids are old enough, have them pick out their own snacks for the trail or help you plan meals for a picnic or camping trip.
My Older Son Comparing our Planned Route to a Trail Marker
LNT Principle 2 – Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
While it may sound counterintuitive, land management agencies construct trail routes to prevent excessive damage to the ecosystems that they travel through. The expectation is that hikers, bikers, runners, etc. will use those trails rather than skip through the underbrush of a natural area. But is it really that important to stick to marked trails? Actually, yes, it is. When people constantly travel off-trail, it damages the surface vegetation and communities of organisms. This leads to barren areas that cause soil erosion and habitat loss.
If you have little explorers like mine, it can be difficult to keep everyone on the trail. Especially if they spot something really cool like a massive nurse log or brightly colored mushroom. Here are some tips for keeping kiddos on the trail and involving them in following this principle:
Educate your family on what is considered a “durable surface”. These surfaces include well-established trails and campsites, and areas with rock, gravel, sand, dry grass, or snow-covered terrain. Seek out these durable surfaces if you need to go off trail (such as for potty breaks that just can’t wait or when chasing a toddler) and try to avoid walking on vegetation as much as possible.
Make it a family lesson, asking your kiddos (and significant other) about what may happen if too many people travel off-trail. If possible, point out signs of erosion and trampling where this has already occurred.
Make staying on the trail a game. We used to pretend that we were walking on a “bridge” across a volcano and the vegetation on either side of the trail was hot lava. When that got old, we played “ninja” where everyone had to walk as lightly and quietly as possible to avoid being “detected” by the forest life.
Have everyone go to the bathroom at the trailhead if facilities are available (even if they claim they don’t need to go). This makes it less likely that you will need to take an off-trail excursion to find a good spot to relieve yourselves. Another option is to bring along a portable potty to use for trails that don’t have facilities. We used to bring along a fold-up toddler potty for my boys to use in the back of the car (I admit that I used it on occasion as well when I couldn’t find a bathroom).
LNT Principle 3 – Dispose of Waste Properly
Kids are messy, especially the younger ones. Aside from their impressive magnetism for all things wet and muddy, you also get spilled snacks and (cringe) diaper blowouts. A good rule to follow is anything that wasn’t found in nature needs to be taken out of nature (or in other words, pack it in, pack it out). That includes those spilled goldfish crackers and snack bars that fell on the ground. These may seem harmless (I mean, they’re edible right?), but they generally end up in the stomachs of wildlife. Since I doubt that crackers and snack bars are a normal part of their diet, they can get sick or become dependent on humans. When this occurs frequently (like on popular trails), these wild animals lose their fear of humans, which can be dangerous for both them and us.
Getting your kiddos involved in clean-up is likely easier than you may think. Here are some tips for getting the family involved in following this principle:
Since waste also includes the kind that comes out of our bodies, teach your kiddos the proper way of pooping on the trail. If your kiddos are like mine, anything poop-related is somehow extremely fascinating, so they will likely be enthralled. Here is a quick video from REI that covers the basics.
Always have a bag on hand to dispose of snack wrappers, soiled diapers, and even trash you find along the way. This could be as simple as a plastic shopping bag or a reusable “dirt” bag that you use specifically for outdoor adventures. Just remember to dispose of the bag properly after your hike (you would be surprised how often I find plastic bags full of trash left at the trailhead!).
Involve your kids in the clean-up process. For my younger son, I tell him to put on his “Umi-goggles” (from the show “Team Umizoomies”) to search for trash, and my older son prefers “Owl Eyes” (from the PJ Masks). I have also hiked with families that make it a competition for their older kids, letting the person who finds the most trash pick where they stop for lunch on the way home.
My Kiddos Participating in a Trail Cleanup with 4H
LNT Principle 4 – Leave What You Find
For us, this is the toughest principle to follow with little ones. There’s just something special about the sticks, rocks, and flowers they see on the trail that makes them want to fill their pockets. However, those rocks, sticks, leaves, flowers, pinecones, etc. serve as shelter and food sources for a variety of wildlife. When everyone who passes through takes those food and shelter sources, it can cause damage to the environment. You can even inadvertently spread invasive plant species by unknowingly picking them from one spot and transporting them to another.
So how do you follow this principle without stifling the curiosity of your budding botanist or geologist? Here are some tips for helping your kiddos leave nature in nature (or at least most of it) and come up with alternatives that won’t harm their sense of wonder:
Hand your kiddos a camera (or your phone) to document a find that fascinates them. They could also draw their find in a nature journal, so they can take the memory with them while leaving the object in nature.
Supply some paper and crayons for them to do leaf or bark rubbings along the trail.
Encourage everyone to use their senses (other than the sense of taste) while observing something cool in nature. Can they describe how that cool rock feels? Does that flower feel soft or smell sweet? Get down with them to demonstrate and have fun with it!
When all else fails, and the only thing that will avoid an epic meltdown is allowing them to take a souvenir, allow them to choose one or two small nature finds to take home while leaving the rest where they found them.
LNT Principle 5 – Minimize Campfire Impacts
Did you know that improperly tended campfires are one of the leading unnatural causes of wildfires? That could be anything from failing to completely put out the fire before leaving, forgetting to use a fire ring, etc. When possible, opt for a camping stove for warmth and cooking while camping with your family. This option eliminates the need for firewood, is far less likely to get out of hand, and operates in any weather condition.
If you need to build a fire, seek out established fire rings where possible and know the local regulations before you go. If you need to gather wood, use dead and downed wood that is easily broken by hand and no larger than the diameter of your wrist. When leaving, douse the fire with water until it’s cool to the touch (yes, you DO need to do the touch test to ensure it’s completely out).
Since campfires and kids can be a scary thought, here are some tips to keep them safe and get them involved with safe campfire practices:
Elicit the help of your kiddos to find proper firewood. Instruct them to use their wrist as a guide for diameter, and to only choose dry and downed wood. You can make it a game, offering the first s’more roasting to the one who can find 5 good pieces first.
Don’t allow your kiddos to play with sticks near a fire and keep flammable objects out of curious hands. Be sure they know that the only things that should be burned are wood added by an adult.
LNT Principle 6 – Respect Wildlife
There’s nothing quite like spotting a family of deer on a hike or observing a nest of birds in your yard. It’s fascinating for both kids and adults alike! However, it’s important to teach our kids to respect wildlife if we want to keep having these encounters safely. We need to keep wild animals wild, which means never feeding them, keeping a safe distance, and storing food (and other odorous materials) safely while camping.
Here are some tips to help get the whole family involved in observing wildlife safely:
Point out signs at ponds and trailheads that advise visitors to avoid feeding wildlife. It may seem harmless to feed the ducks at a pond, but there are numerous reasons this is a poor choice (check out this article for more information on the dangers of feeding waterfowl).
Here is an easy way to teach young ones what it means to keep a “safe distance”: first, have them stand with their arm raised to shoulder height with their thumb pointing up. Then have them close one eye while looking at the animal and try to cover the animal with their thumb. If their thumb completely blocks sight of the animal, they are a safe distance away from the animal.
Watching insects is one of the most fascinating activities for my boys. However, it’s important to remind kiddos (especially the young ones) that insects are wildlife too, and we need to respect them. That means avoiding squishing ants or destroying the gorgeous, intricately woven spider webs we find along the trail.
Pack some observation tools, such as binoculars, a pocket microscope, or a magnifying glass to safely observe the wildlife on your next outdoor adventure.
Observing Insects on a Mushroom Using a Magnifying Glass
LNT Principle 7 – Be Considerate of Others
There’s nothing that ruins a hike faster than encountering an out-of-control, off-leash pet or a fellow hiker playing explicit music very loudly. We have encountered both scenarios more than once (my older son was very nearly attacked by an anxious dog off his leash on a trail when he was a toddler). Encouraging and modeling good trail etiquette goes a long way to preserving the experience for other visitors. This includes teaching your kiddos to stay to the right on the trail to let others pass, taking breaks on durable surfaces away from the trail, and resisting the urge to make excessively loud noises whenever possible.
Here are some tricks for teaching your kids to respect and be considerate of others on the trail:
If you have pint-sized wolf impersonators (what is it about howling that is irresistible to kids?), this can get extremely noisy and somewhat annoying to fellow adventurers. Not to mention it can limit any wildlife sightings you may have along the way. I started limiting the noisy animal sounds and challenging my boys to be quieter animals such as a squirrel or a sneaky cheetah.
If you travel on multi-use trails, it’s especially important to practice “moving to the right” with your kids from an early age. This helps to avoid confusion when a cyclist is coming up from the back or a horseback rider calls out a warning and you need your kiddos to move over quickly.
By teaching our families to follow these guidelines as much as possible, we are reducing the adverse effects we have on the ecosystems we visit. You won’t be perfect every time, and that’s okay. By teaching our kids to follow these principles and do their part in preserving the environment, we are raising them to love, respect, and take care of our earth. Need more tips for helping your kiddos appreciate the environment? Check out my post on Raising Kids to Love Nature.
Check out these fun, free resources from Leave No Trace for more ways to involve your family in following the Leave No Trace Principles:
The Online Awareness Course to learn more about Leave No Trace.
Leave No Trace Hand Motions for a multisensory way to remember the 7 principles.
The Trash Timeline Game (the results may surprise you!).