Is It A Good Idea To Go Hiking With A 3 Year Old?

During a five day stay in the French Alps, we knew we HAD to get our trainers on and go hiking at some point! That’s what you do in the Alps in the summer, right? Right! So, on our last full day in the French town of Morzine, the sun was shining, the air was fresh. Today was the day we’d go for a hike. The only problem was we were with our three-year-old daughter. Not the keenest walker in the world, let alone hiker (the local shops and back is usually her limit) we decided to go ahead regardless and thought it would be good exercise, an experience and maybe even fun…

With my husband in charge, who has been coming to the Haute Savoie region since he was a young boy, I (foolishly) left the logistics to him and we set off on our way.

We started off with the cable car. A great choice. Mrs T is a big fan! She has been on them before and loves them. Plus, the views were pretty spectacular. 

A fun way to start the day. After getting off the cable car we wandered a short distance to a chair lift. We stood waiting alongside dirt-ridden mountain bikers, who replace skiers on the mountains when the snow disappears, until they pointed out to us that there was separate queue for those on foot.  

We took advantage and were ready to go up. Almost! Somehow, I had managed to lose my lift pass between getting on the cable car to the chair lift (!). As the sun beat down on me, I rummaged around in my rucksack insisting it would be in there SOMEwhere – there was no way I could have LOST it! Losing patience (which doesn’t take long), my husband urged me to duck under the barrier. I did so without detection…we were on.

The chair lift got a very good reception from Mrs T. So far so good in a eyes of a three year old. We looked down at the mountain bikers zooming down the hill and were in awe of the terrific mountain views.After getting off the lift, the real work began. With the mountain looking incredibly different from its snow covered tips in winter time, even my hubby was a bit unsure of his bearings. We got some directions from the lift operator and happened to bump into another family with a boy the same age as Mrs T – at least we weren’t alone in our hiking adventure!

We had barely gone a few steps before my daughter requested to be carried. We negotiated her going on daddy’s shoulders and set on our way. With the sun feeling hotter on our pale skin, we somehow managed to persuade her to put her hat on – they really can be very stubborn beings, can’t they? We continued along our way catching up with the other family who were encountering similar problems with their son.

At our end, we had a minor breakdown and there was some mention from Mrs T about going home. I managed to avert such talk with a biscuit. It did the trick.

As I was managing the tears, my husband contemplated our next move. We had got to the route which led to our preferred destination and saw the steep downward path had a rope across it. Although reassured (by the other family we met) that it was fine to use, we weren’t sure how long it would take us and with an already tired girl on our hands we stuck to the path everyone else was using and decided on a slightly different destination, Avoriaz village.

After the biscuit, Mrs T perked up a bit, we came to a forest which gave us some shade and she decided to walk all by herself! She seemed happy pointing out flowers, trees and muddy puddles. This was more like it! I enjoyed having a wander with my little girl and she was joining in the experience. It all seemed to be going well… That was until I heard a shout from the other member of our party. My husband.

“Come on, hurry up,” he barked at me from several metres ahead.

“I’m just enjoying the scenery with my daughter,” I yelled back.

“Well I’m hungry,” he informed me, “so get a move on”.

Charming. And so the nice, peaceful walk had now become a race against time to feed his belly.

Forget three year olds, being stuck hiking in the French Alps with a hungry Yorkshireman is far worse in my book.

And so Mrs T was on his shoulders again and then the end was almost in sight. Our next walk was a 2km climb up a mountain road. Mrs T seemed happy to walk up and was rewarded with a lolly.

The views made the walk all worth it and it wasn’t long until we made it to Avoriaz – around 7km later – more than enough for a three year old. Our final walk (which seemed to last forever) was through the village. I have only ever seen Avoriaz in the winter, on skis. It was almost unrecognisable in the green haze of summer. We eventually got to a restaurant and relaxed. Hubby was fed. I was content and daughter was a little tired but happy and enjoyed some lunch with us before we embarked on another fun-filled cable car ride.  So, is a hiking with a three year old a good idea? Yes, I think it is, but make sure you don’t have a hungry husband on your hands as well. Mrs T would call him a “silly billy” and I would agree although I’ll give him credit for doing the shoulder lugging with Mrs T. All in all an interesting experience but here’s some things we’ll remember for next time which would make it an even better idea…

Bring lots of food (and water)

Be prepared to carry your child

Get a good idea of the area before setting off

Check the route and plan shorter ones if paths look unsuitable or in case children get tired quicker than expected.

Don’t head out in the midday sun

Eat something before you leave and take snacks

Enjoy the scenery. After all that’s what you are there for!

Have you been hiking with children? What are your tips? 

Watch our experience here…