Hiking Games to Keep Kids Moving (When They’d Rather Lay Down on the Trail)

If this is your kid when you’re trying to put on the miles… you’re not alone.

At some point on almost every family hike, there’s a moment when the enthusiasm fades, the legs stop working, and your child dramatically collapses onto the trail like they’ve been personally victimized by nature.

Been there. Photograph evidence included.

The truth is, hiking with kids isn’t about mileage - it’s about momentum. I read recently that a good "hiking rule of thumb" is to estimate your kids can hike 0.5 mile per year of their age and that varies A LOT with their personality, physicality, the terrain, and their mood overall. But sometimes even those measly miles need some serious motivation to keep them moving. And momentum with little legs often needs creativity, imagination, and yes… sometimes bribery.

These hiking games and motivation tactics are the ones we actually use to keep our kids moving, engaged, and having fun on the trail - ditching the power struggle for good old-fashioned outdoor fun. Bonus - these tools can be used in any season! So let's get trekking.

9 Hiking Games To Keep Kids Moving & Motivation Tactics That Actually Work

Remember - the key here is to actually ENJOY the experience, for you and your kids. Building positive experiences leaves them wanting more, rather than resenting every time you shove their hiking boots on their feet. The key is to distract them from realizing their bodies are hard at work. Turn their focus to observation and imagination and you've got much more willing hikers on your hands.

1. Who’s Been Here? (Tracks, Scat, and Signs)

Purpose: Curiosity + engagement

Turn the trail into a mystery and make them the grand explorer.

Look for:

• Animal tracks in mud, snow, or sand

• Scat (yes, poop — kids are obsessed)

• Chewed pinecones

• Scratched bark

• Feathers or fur caught on branches

• Even boot or machine tracks from other humans

Ask questions like:

• “Who do you think walked here before us?”

• “Was it big or small?”

• “Did it run or walk?”

• "Where was that animal going?"

When kids feel like explorers instead of hikers, they forget they’re walking. Of course, this prompt will often lead to stopping to look at the evidence, which is okay. Just continue prompt them for the next find to keep forward progress.

2. “You Better Run!” (THE CHASE)

Purpose: Energy release + speed

This one works especially well in open areas.

Rules:

• Build a snowball or find a pinecone, then make your kids the target

• Shout: “You better run — I’m gonna get you!”

• Let your kids run ahead, then toss the object toward them

  (Or, especially if they have been whining on the trail, go ahead and actually whack them with the snowball. It's very satisfying...don't claim you've never done it.)

• Once you catch up to them, switch roles and let them chase you

To be honest, this one began as "keep going or I'm going to throw this snowball at you" and now I've found it to be extremely effective. It’s simple, it’s chaotic, and it burns off that pent-up energy fast.

3. I Spy (The Ultimate Distraction)

Purpose: Mental distraction from tired legs

Classic for a reason. “I spy something… green / pointy / fuzzy / taller than you.”

You can tailor it to:

• Nature colors

• Shapes

• Animals or plants

• Tracks

• Trail features (bridges, signs, rocks)

I like to make my "I spy" object something that's about 50 yards up the trail so that we keep walking in pursuit of it, rather than stopping or slowing down. Distraction is powerful. When their brain is working, their legs usually follow (which is the key to many of these games).

4. Hiking Songs (With a Disclaimer)

Purpose: Rhythm + morale boost

Songs can help keep a steady pace — until they don’t.

Some favorites:

• Call-and-response songs

• Simple repeat-after-me chants

• Nature based songs like "Baby Bumblebee"

• Made-up hiking songs to a popular children's tune

• Even rhythmic stories like "We're Going On a Bear Hunt"

But fair warning about songs. The motivation factor does depend on your child's personality. My daughter will stop dead in her tracks to sing “O Christmas Tree” to every worthy pine she finds (in the middle of June) and dance the wrong way down the trail for her big dramatic moment of "Let it Go."

Worth it anyway.

5. Trail Milestones (Race to the Sunshine)

Purpose: Short goals feel achievable

Big distances feel overwhelming to kids. Tiny goals don’t.

Try:

• “Let’s run to that sunny spot!”

• “Let’s walk to that bend and rest.”

• “Can you make it to that big rock? That's where we'll have a snack”

• "Woah! Do you see that cool tree up there?!"

Change the goal often. Celebrate each one.

You’re not hiking five miles - you’re hiking to the next thing.

6. Be Like an Animal

Purpose: Gross motor play + imagination

Between here and that log, let’s:

• Stomp like a bear

• Hop like a bunny

• Fly like a bird

• Run like a coyote

• Make tracks like the fox

  
  

This works wonders when energy is low and moods are slipping. As with all of these games, you have to be the positive driving force of the experience. Keep your own mood light and fun and do these games alongside them with an extra does of a ridiculousness.

Bonus: It usually makes everyone laugh.

7. The "Carrot" (Strategic Bribery)

Purpose: Motivation + morale

Don’t pretend you’ve never done it.

We leave the “carrot” back at the truck:

• The favorite snack

• Hot cocoa made on a single-burner camp stove

• A surprise treat

• Picnic lunch at the tailgate

Obviously I still pack and pass out plenty of provisions, but giving them a little extra bribe once in awhile never killed anybody. You don’t have to promise it every hike - but when you do, it’s incredibly effective.

“Remember what’s waiting for us at the truck…”

8. Job Assignments

Purpose: Responsibility + purpose

Kids move better when they feel useful.

Try:

• Trail leader

• Stick collector

• Map holder

• Photographer

• Pace setter

• Trash picker-upper

Even toddlers love having a “job.” It shifts the focus from how tired they are to what they’re doing. And most kids will take great pride in the role they've been assigned and take it very seriously.

9. The Honest One: Carry Them (Briefly)

Purpose: Reset, not rescue

Sometimes the fastest way forward is a short reset.

A quick carry:

• Recharges emotional batteries

• Prevents meltdowns

• Keeps the hike positive

The key is temporary - not giving up entirely. Use some of the same tactics like, "how about I carry you until we get to that bridge up there?" Cleary this is more catered toward young children, but if you have bigger kids that need a break, give it to them and let them have those few extra moments to reset too.

A Few Extra Mountain Mama Tips

• Start hikes earlier than you think you need to

• Expect stops - lots of them

• Let kids hike in “real” clothes sometimes

• Snacks solve more problems than lectures

• Short, successful hikes build confidence for longer ones later

My #1 tip is to be aware of your own attitude and keep it extremely positive.

This is the BEST hike you've ever been on. Those flowers are SO cool. This is AWESOME.

Hopefully you are actually enjoying it, but don't be afraid to turn up the drama a little bit too. Talk about how beautiful it is, encourage your kids, mention every cool thing that you see, celebrate the milestones, and cheer for them when you all successfully finish a trail together.

These small hikes, messy moments, and silly games are training grounds - not just for future adventures, but for resilience, curiosity, and a lifelong love of being outside. And you are their greatest role model.

The Goal Isn’t Miles — It’s Momentum

If your child ends up laying flat on the trail at some point… congratulations. You’re doing it right.

Hiking with kids isn’t about efficiency. It’s about engagement.

And sometimes, the best way to keep moving is to stop taking it so seriously.