Welcome back to Part 4 of The Well-Prepared Hiker mini-series!
Tips for Safe and Fun Exploring
While most of our tours are booked by adult singles, couples, or groups of friends, we are increasingly contacted by families looking to experience the magic of the Cliffs of Fundy region together. And we love it!
As a retired teacher, I jump at the chance to reconnect with the younger set. There’s something truly special about witnessing a child’s curiosity come alive in nature—and it’s a joy to plan a bespoke tour with children in mind.
Hiking with kids isn’t just a fun day out—it’s a meaningful investment in family bonding, healthy activity, and lasting memories. Children build physical strength and endurance, learn to navigate natural terrain, and soak up the benefits of fresh air. Each outing becomes an opportunity to boost confidence, encourage independence, and introduce a deeper understanding of the natural world. Observation skills sharpen, vocabulary expands, and environmental awareness grows—nurturing a lifelong sense of respect and responsibility for nature.
And let’s not forget the bonus: a hike is the perfect antidote to screen time, offering a gentle digital detox for everyone involved.
Planning for Young Explorers
When designing a family-friendly tour, we carefully select destinations that are age-appropriate in both distance and difficulty. We aim for terrain that’s inviting, not intimidating, with lots of natural interest along the way—think tide pools teeming with life, soft sand underfoot, and hidden treasures to discover. Long stretches of sand are ideal for little legs, and we always include moments of magic: a peek at where the oldest dinosaur in Canada was found, a hermit crab scuttling across a tide pool, periwinkle snails tucked under rocks, sea grass waving gently in the current, or a perfectly smoothed piece of beach glass—“mermaid tears,” as we like to call them.
Engaging Their Curiosity
Each child joining a family tour receives a string backpack filled with simple, engaging tools to spark exploration. Inside, they’ll find a magnifying glass, a rock identification guide, a notebook, and a pencil to jot down thoughts or sketches. Sometimes we add a small replica dinosaur or a treasure map to make the adventure even more immersive. Guides also carry pocket microscopes for closer looks at fascinating finds, and depending on the age group, we might play a round of beach bingo or chart special discoveries along a treasure trail.
These little additions are more than just fun—they help create a sense of purpose and excitement while nurturing curiosity and observation skills.
The Importance of Rest and Refuelling
Every child-friendly tour includes a beachside picnic. This provides a welcome moment to refuel and rest, listen to the waves, and share favourite discoveries. It’s also a time for parents to relax and take in the scenery while the kids explore nearby with their newfound confidence.
What Parents Can Do to Help
We ask that children arrive well-prepared to ensure their comfort and safety. Properly fitted sneakers or hiking shoes are essential—no flip-flops or loose sandals, please. Sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses help protect from the elements, and layering clothing according to the weather is always a good idea.
A child-sized water bottle is a great investment, as is a small backpack (our child-focused tours will include a small string backpack to keep) for them to carry their own supplies. Not only does this promote independence and responsibility, it also helps kids feel like true adventurers, equipped and ready to explore.
This concludes Part 4 of our hike preparedness mini series. Watch for Part 5 where we dive into emergency preparedness.
Tide Rollers & Mudlarkers... 