Birthday Hike Ideas For Kids – How to host a kids hiking party
Inexpensive and Fun for All: Kids Birthday Hike Ideas!
When you think of a child’s birthday, a kids hiking party might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it’s a fantastic way to create a fun party for your child and their friends. Not to mention, really budget-friendly. It’s such a fun way to get outdoors, enjoy nature, and celebrate. Plus it is a good party idea for teenage boys and teen girls (who can be tricky to plan a party for at the best of times!). Read on for our best Birthday Hike ideas for kids.
What is a Hiking Party?
A hiking party is such an excellent option for something interactive, energetic, and outdoorsy for a nature-oriented group. Hiking parties are also relatively easy to pull off, considering birthday hike ideas are plentiful and pretty simple. The idea is that a group will all set off together on a planned hike. From there, you can either decide to put a destination picnic up and bring food with you. And there are a multitude of different options for events and entertainment. The beauty of this kind of party is that the whole party is an event, so there’s no concern about filling the time. Just prep what you want to do ahead of time and set off on your hike!
How to Plan a Birthday Hike
The first step in any good party is to make cute invitations. One fantastic idea is to stay true to the outdoorsy theme and make or purchase invitations that are thematically mountainous or have little trees on them. There are some creative and easy DIY ways to accomplish a really cute invite. Any medium from paint to stamps can function really well for this.
Once you finalize your guest list and send them out (with ample time for RSVP, of course) you will need to consider how many people you have coming and adjust accordingly. Think about your food needs, water needs for the actual physical part of the hike, and plans later on after the hike is over, so it is crucial to know how many kiddos will show.
Next, think about the trajectory for the day. Maybe starting with breakfast is a fun way to kick off the day with a hearty meal and celebration! Even something like birthday donuts or cinnamon rolls might be an exciting way to kick it all off. Add a bit of fruit and some orange juice and you’re already there. You’ll next want to set off on the hike itself. Of course, think about temperature and time of day, when it warms up if it’s cold and when it is still cool out if it’s hot. You might need to car pool over depending on how many kids are coming along for the adventure, just be mindful of seat room.
Something to consider is that keeping a hiking party small can be a really great way to guide activities. Plus you can make sure that everyone is safe and involved. A big group at this kind of party is less ideal. Mostly because of food transportation and how to get everyone there.
What Activities to Include in a Birthday Hike
Then, you’re off! Enjoy your hike! Be sure to bring a first aid kit and extra water, just in case. Plan the distance and time and think about where you’ll end up. Maybe this is a good spot for a snack picnic and water break.
Another fun thing to do might be to throw a scavenger hunt while on the hike itself. Everyone gets an empty backpack, a magnifying glass, some trail mix, and water, and the goal is to check off the whole list of hunted items. Everything from bees, butterflies, different kinds of flowers, and more. This is an engaging and exciting piece for the kids to interact with. They can save flowers in booklets in their backpacks as a memory from the day.
The game “Go Find It” is a great option for an easy scavenger hunt. It also works really well on family walks and adventures!
Check out these other ideas for fun nature walk activities that you could include in your hike.
Depending on the age of the children, finishing off the hike in an area with a playground or large space for games can be a great option.
Best Food Options for a Birthday Hike
Food options for the hike can be anything relatively easy to bring and easy to eat. A picnic of snacks and small bites or a full lunch at the end of it are both great ideas. You can make simple sandwiches or pick up the guest of honor’s favorite restaurant. To-go deli salads and easy picnic foods are really the best way to go. Bring a cooler in the back of your car so that when you loop back to the parking lot at the beginning of the hike, you can get your food and set up the picnic at benches or on some cute blankets.
A fun snack birthday hike idea is to set up a trail mix bar out of the back of the car or a park table. Arrange water and small cups, along with different variations of trail mix so that everyone can pick what they like. Make sure to have a peanut-free and nut-free version in case anyone is allergic or intolerant! You could also make a DIY trail mix more everyone by setting up the trail mix bar with the ingredients to make any variation they so choose.
Remember that when you get everyone home, they’re going to want to have cake! There are some really fun ideas for hiking and mountain themed cakes. A round cake with an icing river through it and some tree and hill detail can be a very on-theme option. Custom cookies are also a fun touch if you’re feeling like something a bit fancy. Even consider pulling out a “dessert” trail mix bar for the cake portion of the party and celebration, staying true to the theme.
The Fun of a Hiking Party
A hiking party is such a great way to get everyone outdoors and together to celebrate your child’s birthday. There are so many birthday hike ideas to use for this fun party option. The range of possibilities for this kind of party allows you to do the whole party very inexpensively. Or splurge in little places to glam it up a little bit. All in all, hiking parties are going to be a great time for all and a beautiful way to celebrate!