Six years ago this month, Hike it Baby completed its first hike. Since then, the organization has grown tremendously. And for its “birthday” this year, Hike it Baby is teaming up with Deuter and Leave No Trace™ Center for Outdoor Ethics for the Together We Hike trail cleanup event.
Hike it Baby is commemorating its very first hike by focusing on giving back to the trails and the natural spaces in the communities in which we hike. The trail cleanup event will encompass all of Hike it Baby’s core values: supporting all families, building community and celebrating nature.
This month, we hope you will join us and challenge yourself to host, participate in or independently clean a trail or natural space. Inviting members of the community can encourage everyone to clean up the communities while learning from each other. If an official Hike it Baby cleanup hike doesn’t work for your schedule, feel free to get out on your own and clean a local trail at your convenience. To find family-approved locations to host a cleanup hike, use the Family Trail Guide. Or to join a cleanup hike, you can look through already submitted hikes that are labeled “Together We Hike.”
Celebrate Hike it Baby
If you can’t join a HiB cleanup hike, try to get outside and celebrate Hike it Baby’s birthday anyway. As a teacher, I find myself unable to participate in most HiB hikes since they are scheduled while I’m at work. Since joining Hike it Baby, however, I find myself making sure we get outside as a family, whether it’s a trip to the park, walking in our neighborhood or hitting the trails. This organization has truly opened my eyes to the importance of nature for children, getting involved in the community, celebrating everyone’s unique differences and how we, together, make up this great organization.
While raising a generation to love nature and the outdoors, a trail cleanup is a great way to get children involved in taking charge of their communities and making sure these natural areas are protected and safe for years to come. Challenge the children on your hikes to try and collect as much trash as they can to help protect the trail. While cleaning up, talk to your children about the importance of the leave no trace principles, which include staying on trail, respecting wildlife, leaving what you find and being kind to others. Practicing leave no trace and sharing it with others will help ensure our trails and nature stay protected for future use.
Make it a social affair
Whether you host or participate in a HiB trail cleanup or clean up your local greenspace with your family, your impact will help ensure that the community will be enjoyed by others now and into the future. For more information on the
However you participate, share on social media how you are celebrating with @hikeitbaby to provide inspiration to all HiB communities by adding #HikeitBaby #TogetherWeHike at Instagram – @hikeitbaby // Facebook – facebook.com/hikeitbaby // Twitter – twitter.com/hikeitbaby.
Help build community
1. HiB summer community T-shirt campaign
We’re celebrating our value of supporting all families through the first Hike it Baby Community Campaign. Get a unique Hike it Baby shirt and 10% of proceeds will be donated to OUT There Adventures, an organization that supports LGBTQ+ kids to get outside. Fulfilling our goal to get ALL families outside is a big task and we are so excited for the opportunity to support another organization doing this work.
Campaign ends 7/31/19. Options available from infant to adult.
2. Deuter dirt bag & LNT card
Donate $30 and as a thank you from us, receive a one-of-a-kind Hike it Baby Deuter dirt bag & a Kids Leave No Trace resource card. 30% of proceeds will be donated to Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, which works to protect the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly.
Donations are tax-deductible. The campaign runs while supplies last.
Read more:
- 5 Tips for trail cleanup safety
- Giving back — Trail cleanup hikes
- How to teach kids to be trail stewards
- 10 Ways to have a positive Hike it Baby environmental impact in the new year
Featured photo by Jessica Human.
This blog post is sponsored by Deuter.
