We make a point to take our kids (7 & 8 ) on something challenging for them once every summer. I think it's good for them and they keep wanting to go so they must have fun! Lol. This year they picked Katahdin so we did that. We couldn't make it until late September but we got there on the weekend of the 26/27th. We did Saddle trail with them Sunday morning. We left Roaring Brook lot at 8:00am got to Chimney Pond at 10:40am and then to the top of the saddle by 12:30pm. Our turn around time was at the latest 1:00pm and I didn't want to push the kids to try to get to the summit in a 1/2 hour. So we ate lunch on the saddle then returned the same way. We got to the parking lot at 6:30pm with some really tired kids. Apparently it was take your kids hiking day or something like that according to a lady we met on the trail. We only saw one other family with kids on the trail that day though. I think everyone should try to encourage people with kids to go out. Sure it takes some extra planning but it's worth it! Has anyone else gotten out with their kids on the trails? There must be more then 2!

Check out Kessler Patterson

Cool trip, I think that's one of the best things about having a family, enjoying activities with them that everyone loves.

I did Katahdin when I was a "kid", (12 I think?)

I took my son to RMNP about 1 month before his 4th birthday. The little guy made it up the Lilly Mountain trail, parking lot to summit and back, without needing carried.

Just this past weekend (age 6 now) I took him for his first overnight backpacking trip and he did great. He hiked better on day 2 than on day 1, and at the end he asked if we could spend another night out there.

A healthy kid (mind and body) will rise to the (sane) challenges you put before them. You've got to realize that complaining is a phase, a stage, and you can persist, get them past it, and continue the hike. Keeping them interested is another challenge, though, and it depends entirely ont he kid how you do that.

I'm very proud of my son, especially now that we're in scouts and I can see what utter poofs the other kids his age are.

Good job on getting your kids out.

Has anyone else gotten out with their kids on the trails?

My nine year old son has climbed 268 mountains and my seven year old daughter has climbed 140:

http://www.summitpost.org/users/shaylee/44238

http://www.summitpost.org/users/kessler/18566

I haven't gotten around to updating all their climbing logs though (they are getting to the age when they can do it themselves).

You can see what we've done in the past few years below:

http://www.summitpost.org/2011-trip-log/690759

http://www.summitpost.org/2010-trip-log/590857

http://www.summitpost.org/2009-trip-log/477971

http://www.summitpost.org/2008-trip-log/375607

Both have done many technical routes and have done winter ascents and Kessler has done some 17,000+ foot ascents. Both kids can do 5000+ feet vertical in a day and I try to climb at least 60 mountains a year with the kids.

Guess my niece isn't a kid anymore. Man they grow up FAST ..

Having just done Katahdin myself, that is quite an accomplishment for youngsters.
I have taken both my kids hiking/climbing quite a bit as they were growing up.
Jasmine @ 1
Mariel @ 26 on Orizaba

Nice trips and pictures everyone! I agree that kids can be expected to complain about how long it's taking or how tired they are at some point. You just have to be able to get them to accept that sometimes that's part of it and provide them with a way to get past it. Near the end of our Katahdin trip both kids were completely tired and really slowing down. My husband started burping weird words and they started laughing and completely forgot about their previous woes. It may have been a bit of a childish game but if you're with kids that helps! Unfortunately I cannot burp my ABC's so was fairly useless in that one...
It's great I think to start with them when they're young. Then when they grow they still want to do it and you really get a chance to talk with them. Seems like a fair amount of kids I've encountered, teens mostly, could use a good 12 hour day of inescapable hang out time with their parents! :p The parents too actually.....if both live through it then a successful trip!

An acquaintance of mine is publishing a book about hiking with her kids:

http://www.trishalexsage.com/