No Complaints, Just Rollmops: A Trail Guide to Hiking with Kids

Hiking with children is either a terrible idea or a brilliant one — depending on your mindset, your snack stash, and how well you’ve prepared for the odd muddy meltdown. At the Trail Food Co, we’re big believers in getting families outdoors together, not just because it’s good for the soul, but because we’ve seen first-hand what’s possible when kids swap screens for streams and footpaths.

Here’s our honest, field-tested guide to hiking with kids: no sugar-coating (except on the jelly tots).

The Anti-Complaint Pact: Turning Whining into Wins

One of our best parenting hacks on trail? The forfeit system. It started on the Giant’s Cup Trail. If you complained, there were consequences: a reverse mohawk, no beer for a week, a single eyebrow sacrificed to the cause. Harsh? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

Fast forward to our five-night Magoebaskloof hike and we revived the rule — this time with a culinary twist. Everyone picked a revolting food (mopane worms, rollmops, wasabi peas) and if anyone complained, they’d have to eat one of each at the end. The result? No moaning — just lots of laughter, accountability, and gleeful anticipation of whether someone might slip up.

Even better, it turned complaints into a family-wide running joke: “Was that a complaint I heard?” became a regular chorus that kept the mood light even when legs were tired and the mud was winning.

dodgy river crossings — Dodgy River Crossings

marvellous muddy boots — Marvellous Muddy Boots

mmm wet smoky socks — Mmmm - Wet, Smoky Socks!

Let Them Pack It, Let Them Carry It

Kids are far more invested when they’ve chosen their own food and are responsible for carrying it. With Trail Food dinners sorted (yes I work for The Trail Food company – quick, tasty, and light), we let our boys choose their breakfasts, lunches, and snacks — but they have to carry what they pick.

Inevitably, this leads to a few learning moments: demolishing the best snacks on Day One, and trying to trade half a soggy rice cake for a chocolate bar on Day Three. But it’s all part of the experience.

One of our go-to snacks is Ryan’s Hiking Mix (peanuts, raisins, jelly tots, and smarties — the non-melty miracle). It’s sweet, salty, crunchy, and keeps morale high. But on our last trip, I seriously under-packed snacks for the kids. The result? Some light begging, “generous sharing” from adult rations, and a whole lot of food envy.

If you’re a parent: sneak a surprise snack into your own pack — something to whip out after a hard day’s slog. It’ll feel like a reward, and those little moments of delight are pure gold.

Choosing the Right Trail (and Trusting Your Kids)

We’ve tried a few – from the three-night, family-friendly High 5 (was the Num-Num) Trail to the longer, more demanding Giant’s Cup and Magoebaskloof hikes.

The key? Huts help. Taking the weight of tents and full gear off their shoulders means longer distances are suddenly very doable. Our boys were 5 and 8 when they did their first multi-day hike. Now, at 10 and 13, they’re navigating full packs, slippery river crossings, and chain-assisted cliff traverses — and loving it.

Trails with variety are always a win. Kids love ladders, bouncy bridges, epic views, and river crossings. Anything that breaks up the “just walking” part keeps spirits high. Even better? Watching your kids develop grit, self-sufficiency, and that quiet pride that comes from doing something hard — and finishing it.

So if you’re hesitating, don’t. Kids are stronger, funnier, and more resilient than we think.

Essential Gear (and What to Leave Behind)

There’s nothing like a multi-day hike to teach you what gear matters — and what’s just taking up space.

One regret from our last hike? No playing cards. There’s something about forest evenings — fire crackling, feet up — that calls for simple games and shared laughs. 20 Questions is great… until it becomes a never-ending guessing game involving a “dinosaur riding a fire engine.” (No, I didn’t guess it. Yes, I still think that’s cheating.)

Another recurring mistake? Packing too many clothes. If your kid is happy to hike five days in the same shirt — and trust us, they will be — let them. Dirt is temporary. Your back pain from carrying an extra set of “just-in-case” clothing might not be.

Keep it simple: if they’re warm, dry, and fed, the rest is optional.

at a minimum try and stay dry — At a minimum try and stay dry

hold on tight — Hold on tight - adventure here we come!

the only type of bathing on trail — The only acceptable bath on trail

there are ladders in them thar hills — Ladders in them thar hills

Sleep Setups and Feral Nights

The huts we stay in are basic but brilliant — and offer just enough structure for the kids to feel safe while allowing a bit of free-range feral.

We usually stick the kids in their own room and let them get on with it. These are the nights where they somehow summon the energy to play torch games like “stalk the lantern” after hiking 15km up and down a mountain. Meanwhile, the adults are practically horizontal over mugs of instant hot chocolate.

Bedtime routines go out the window, and that’s okay. One of ours doesn’t shower, change, or even dip a toe into a stream the entire hike — and frankly, we admire the commitment! Trail life isn’t about clean fingernails; it’s about building memories and maybe a stronger immune system.

Trail Games That Keep Feet Moving

When legs are tired and the next hut still feels miles away, games are your best distraction tool.

Our staples:

20 Questions: with rule enforcement (see above)
The Alphabet Game: pick a topic (e.g., countries, foods, footballers) and take turns naming one for each letter until someone’s stuck
Animal Poo ID: technically not a game, but trust us — kids will turn every pile of poo into a learning oppoortunity (see what I did there?!) The dad (and mum) jokes don’t have to stop after the hike is done!

These games spark laughter, curiosity, and just enough focus to stop the “how much further?” loop in its tracks.

The Magic Moment

On our most recent hike, one of the boys was having a tough time with a sore knee. He’d fallen behind and was limping along with his dad.

When I arrived at the hut, the other three boys had already taken off their boots and were settling in. I told them about their friend, still out there. I said, “Imagine if that were you. How would it feel if your mates came back to help carry your bag?”

They didn’t have to. But they did. One of them even went barefoot.

That’s it. That’s why we hike with our kids.

Not for perfect days or clean socks, but for the friendships forged in mud, the grit that grows between river crossings, and the kind of kindness that leaves a bigger mark than any blister.

Final Word:

You don’t need perfect weather, matching kit, or well-behaved children to create trail magic. Just a bit of prep, a lot of snacks, and the willingness to lean into the chaos.

And if all else fails, threaten them with a rollmop! 😉

Thank you to the best hiking family ever! And all those that hike with them!