Debunk the Myth: Take Your Kids Hiking

Have the concrete jungles taken away the green meadows where you once played as a child?
Have the skyscrapers stolen the secret little paths where you used to boldly explore?
If you still remember that lush green meadow; if you can still recall the rich scent of soil in your hands,
then perhaps you still have the chance to offer your children the experience of being close to nature after they’re born.

According to data from the Forestry Bureau under Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture, Taiwan’s mountainous regions, often isolated by natural features such as rugged terrain or river valleys, boast a wealth of geological and landform landscapes. There are 220 mountains over 3,000 meters high, and as many as 48 over 3,500 meters, while mid- to low-altitude mountain areas are also densely packed with peaks. With over 70% of Taiwan’s terrain consisting of high mountains, hills, and plateaus, it is one of the islands with the highest mountain density in the world, harboring endless treasures and knowledge—making it a perfect place for adults and children to immerse themselves in nature, feel its beauty, and explore its wonders.

There are many ways to get kids close to nature, but this special feature challenges parents’ mindsets, opening up new perspectives on parent-child nature play and helping you become the ultimate “kid leader,” taking your little ones hiking. Get to know it, get close to it, experience it—starting with small hills, integrating parent-child interaction into mountain adventures. It’s actually quite simple.
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As the saying goes, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Hiking together as a family emphasizes not the thrill of reaching the summit, nor the wild challenge of scaling towering peaks, but the interaction between parent and child along the way.

Perhaps you’re an experienced hiker, but due to marriage and parenthood, even if you want to reclaim your past courage for exploring the mountains, you may be held back by family life, parenting duties, or discouraged by elders. Huang Fussen, author of "Take Your Kids Hiking!", has accumulated thirty years of experience transitioning from personal hiking to family hiking, and here he shares his parenting insights on parent-child hiking activities.

Maybe you’re a hiking novice. We also consulted Wang Mingzhe, a senior “Green Person” instructor from the Natural Trail Association of the Republic of China. Based on his long-term experience developing trails and teaching, he says that as long as parents are willing, they can take their children into the mountains at any time—even preschoolers. Starting with easy trails and nearby hills is never too late. Below are some key benefits and precautions of parent-child hiking, summarized after consulting these two experts.

The focus of parent-child hiking is “interaction.” However, the prerequisite is that parents should ideally enjoy outdoor activities. Only then does it make sense for the whole family to go hiking together, with children learning through exposure and participation.

Huang Fussen points out that the fun of hiking lies in the fact that “you can’t have one person going up the mountain while another comes down.” Especially in modern life, where convenience increases but parent-child relationships grow more distant, and even shared topics become scarce—but as long as parents take their kids hiking, family interaction happens. Through pre-hike preparations and the hiking process itself, everyone experiences and shares what they see and hear along the climb, focusing on common topics. Even three generations can hike together on gentle slopes, bringing grandparents along to strengthen family bonds.

Everyone knows that exercise not only helps busy working adults and parents relieve muscle tension and release accumulated fatigue, but also fosters healthy minds and bodies in children.

Since the publication of *Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain*, the benefits of exercise have been continually confirmed through various studies. For example, exercise promotes the secretion of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine (important neurotransmitters for thought and emotion). Exposing children to exercise early and helping them develop a love for it improves their integration ability, adaptability, and memory, making learning more efficient—and of course, it greatly benefits health and physical fitness.

Take advantage of this stage when children are full of energy, guiding them to embrace exercise as a lifelong and beneficial hobby. Make hiking a sport, starting with simple, easy trails. Warm up before heading into the mountains, and you can hit the trail on foot anytime.

During a hike, you must bring your own food and water. For instance, Huang Fussen used to dislike foods like green peppers and dried bamboo shoots until, during his student days, he went hiking with a club and had to eat those very foods when hungry. From that day on, he never picked his food again.

On the other hand, sometimes hiking or camping areas lack readily available drinking water—you might have to walk an hour just to reach a water source. So even a single cup of water or a bowl of rice can taste delicious to a hungry child, teaching them how to appreciate resources.
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These days, children are exposed to TVs, computers, and smartphones more frequently than ever, yet their real-world experiences and genuine emotional connections are becoming rarer. Urbanized environments also shrink human activity space, giving rise to many “homebody kids.” Even when outdoors, the convenience of mobile devices means the whole family might end up glued to their screens.

But when you take your kids hiking, because you’re constantly walking and climbing, both adults and children need to stay alert to their surroundings. Plus, at higher altitudes, phone signals may be weak, which actually increases opportunities for parent-child interaction. Bathed in the sounds of nature—the chirping of insects and birds—you breathe in the forest’s phytoncides. But experts advise against rushing your child along the path, because what matters most to them is definitely not “reaching the summit.”

What matters most to them is definitely not “reaching the summit.”

Teacher Wang Mingzhe says that today’s children receive information from diverse and fast sources. Parent-child hiking not only broadens their horizons but also naturally opens their minds. Moreover, as modern people lack life education, hiking can teach children to respect plants and understand ecological conservation. He often sees families who, while hiking, like to catch fish, tadpoles, or butterflies—but that’s unacceptable behavior.

In the future, when parents take their kids hiking, they might as well use the opportunity to teach them that “due to human greed, many species are gradually disappearing—like why we no longer see fireflies in cities, which rivers have been straightened, or how many years a tree needs to grow. Help them understand that the landscapes created by nature must not be destroyed casually.”

A love for exploration is in children’s nature. As pointed out in *The Whole-Brain Child*, when your kid is playing, they’re actually learning survival skills for the future, preparing for real life.

Through parent-child hiking, you give your child the chance to walk, see, hear, and experience nature. Geography textbooks tell us that although Taiwan isn’t vast, it boasts diverse and unique ecosystems—from tropical and subtropical to temperate vegetation. You can encounter different terrains, geology, forests, plants, animals, and water bodies at any time.

Teacher Wang Mingzhe gives an example: direct observation in nature is more moving than textbook knowledge. For instance, near mountain streams, you might hear a clear “cheep-cheep” sound, but it could actually be a frog (the Stejneger’s frog). There’s also a bird (the Taiwan bulbul) whose call sounds like a cat’s meow—these break conventional impressions and are only discovered when you truly immerse yourself in nature.

However, experts also suggest that parents take advantage of free guided trail tours in various regions to help children learn about insects, birds, flowers, and plants, and to prepare adequately in terms of safety equipment and trail conditions.

Huang Fussen points out that hiking with kids offers endless learning opportunities along the trail. Whether it’s small insects, flowers, animals, or even the clouds above or the chirps of birds and insects nearby, all can spark curiosity and cultivate the ability to seek answers actively. If parents don’t know the answers, they can later explore with their children in libraries or online—far more profound and touching than simply having kids memorize pictures from books.

For example, Huang Fusen once spent seven days trekking through the Nengkuan-Antungjun Mountain Range of the Central Mountain Range with his child. Before the trip, the child learned that they might encounter Formosan sika deer along the way and took the initiative to gather extensive information, which opened Huang’s eyes. He discovered aspects of the ecological environment he had previously overlooked—this is the invaluable part of hiking with children.

Every trail is filled with endless knowledge.

Most of us think too narrowly about mountain climbing. Huang Fusen, who has observed Taiwan’s mountaineering scene for thirty years, points out that most mountaineering activities in Taiwan (even those considered difficult by many, such as the 100 Peaks) mostly fall under the international category of “hiking” or “backpacking.” Although many people participate in these activities, hiking is often seen as an impressive feat. Even mentioning “high mountains” tends to evoke associations with danger or accidents.

However, internationally, true mountaineering (Mountaineering) refers to technical climbing activities such as rock climbing, stream tracing, and ice climbing, which require professional training. Abroad, single-day outings are classified as Hiking, while multi-day trekking and camping trips are considered Backpacking—both involve simply walking on trails or through pristine forests.

Taiwan already has many mountain ranges developed by government agencies into trails (internationally, “trail” refers to improved mountaineering environments), making it highly encouraged for families to hike together and enjoy the adventure of nature.

On the other hand, Teacher Wang Mingzhe points out that Taiwan’s definition of high mountains usually refers to peaks above 3,000 meters in altitude—the so-called “100 Peaks.” However, he believes that when people exhibit symptoms similar to altitude sickness (abbreviated as AMS), which occurs due to the thin air and lower oxygen concentration at high elevations causing the body’s cardiovascular and respiratory systems to struggle to adapt, it’s typically due to either lack of gradual training or going hiking the day after being overly tired. Symptoms may include vomiting, dizziness, and increased heart rate, and in severe cases, pulmonary or cerebral edema. Generally, altitudes around 2,500 meters and above can be considered high mountains.

Currently, the Chinese Taipei Nature Trail Association, in collaboration with government agencies, has planned over a hundred nature-friendly trails in Taipei City. At every trailhead, you can clearly see the classification levels, such as Family-Friendly, Advanced Hiker, or Mountaineer. In general, any suburban hills or trails below 1,000 meters are perfect for families to try together.

In addition to altitude considerations, it’s also important to assess whether the mountain path is gentle or steep. Beyond physical fitness, safety must also be taken into account. If a child refuses to walk and needs to be carried, it can exhaust the parent. It’s recommended to choose well-planned trails or wooden boardwalks, where there is also more foot traffic and therefore increased safety.

Teacher Wang Mingzhe points out that currently, the hiking trails in Taipei City and other counties are all suitable for family hiking activities. Coupled with convenient transportation, many trails can be easily reached by public transport or private car. It’s a good idea to start with nearby trails that allow a day trip, such as suburban hills.

For instance, Yangmingshan’s Erziping area is designed with barrier-free access, featuring gentle slopes that are stroller-friendly. Even carrying toddlers up the mountain is safe. Even less athletic parents can easily enjoy hiking with their kids, taking breaks, stopping to observe, and experiencing the beauty of the forest—a rich hiking experience in itself.

“Mountain safety is the most important rule in hiking,” says Huang Fusen. For families wanting to hike together, the key is to progress step by step, choosing locations suitable for the whole family’s pace and stamina. Especially for toddlers, hiking speed is typically 1.5 to 2 times slower than adults, so time for play and rest must be allowed. Gradually increase the climbing height and distance to prepare for more advanced high-mountain challenges.

Huang Fusen reminds us that many hiking problems arise from starting with mountain ranges that exceed one’s physical limits, which could lead to children losing interest in hiking later. In contrast, Taiwan’s trails and suburban hills have seen significant improvements in facilities in recent years. He recommends sticking to popular, well-maintained trails, which are also safer.
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The most important thing in hiking is to progress step by step.

Reported and written by Wu Huimin
Consulted by: Huang Fusen, author of "Taking Your Kids Hiking"Huang Fusen, author of "Taking Your Kids Hiking"; Wang Mingzhe, senior green person at the Chinese Taipei Nature Trail Association; and Luo Youjuan, Head of the Recreation Section, Forest Recreation Division, Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan (listed in order of appearance in the article)
Models: Stylish Dad Wei-Zhe, Charming Mom Ya-Ting, Handsome Brother Huai-Bai, Cute Sister Yan-Xin
Hair and makeup by Kelly
Photography by Mi Guo Photography (0918-356564)

Huang Fusen
Education: Master of Environmental Science, Lamar University, USA
Experience: President of Fengchia Wanli Mountaineering Club, Class of ’79; Special Planning Editor at Taiwan Mountain Magazine; over 30 years of mountaineering experience
Current position: Manager at a technology company and mountaineering writer
Publications: "Taking Your Kids Hiking", "Outdoor Gear Ultralight Complete Practical Book""Taking Your Kids Hiking", "Outdoor Gear Ultralight Complete Practical Book"

Wang Mingzhe
Education: College graduate
Experience: 13 years of teaching children’s mathematics and educational training; Leader of Sanchong Rotary Youth Service Corps; Full-time lecturer at an international marketing company
Current position: Green Person at the Chinese Taipei Nature Trail Association

Luo Youjuan
Current position: Head of the Recreation Section, Forest Recreation Division, Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan