Key Takeaways
- Shoshannah Shand regularly hikes long-distance trails with her two young children, including the 85 km Old Ghost Road and the 66 km Saint James Walkway.
- Food planning, meltdown management, and keeping toddlers motivated are the primary challenges when trekking with kids.
- Turning the hike into a game, using snacks as incentives, and sharing the experience with friends or other hut users help maintain enthusiasm.
- Overnight stays in backcountry huts are manageable with flexible bedtime routines, bed‑sharing, and the option to use a tent if noise becomes an issue.
- Shoshannah views these adventures as confidence‑building experiences that foster resilience, mental‑health benefits, and a lifelong love of the outdoors for both herself and her children.
Introduction to Shoshannah’s Family Hiking
Shoshannah Shand, a single mother from New Zealand, has turned family trekking into a regular part of her life. She frequently tackles multi‑day hikes with her 7‑year‑old and 2‑year‑old, sharing photos and stories on her social‑media channels (@Shoshannah.nz). Her most ambitious trek to date is the Old Ghost Road on the West Coast—a demanding 85‑kilometre route she completed while carrying her toddler. She has also walked the Saint James Walkway in Canterbury with both children, covering 66 km when her eldest was five and her youngest only eight months old. These outings, she says, have been “amazing” and have strengthened the bond between her and her kids.
Common Challenges on the Trail
When asked about the biggest obstacles, Shoshannah highlights food as a primary concern. Children can be picky, and in remote settings there are rarely alternatives to what parents pack. She relies on lightweight, emergency‑friendly staples such as instant noodles, ensuring they are safe and easy to prepare. Another challenge is keeping the kids moving; a child who refuses to walk can stall progress. To counteract this, she selects achievable daily distances—often 5 km to a woolshed‑creek hut—and transforms the walk into a game, such as “spot the next orange marker,” or sings songs to maintain morale. Hiking with friends adds extra motivation, and when companions aren’t available, a small treat like a lolly can serve as a effective bribe. Toddlers present the greatest physical demand, as they must be carried frequently; Shoshannah limits daily mileage to around 5 km for children aged one to four to avoid overexertion.
Handling Meltdowns and Low Spirits
Meltdowns are inevitable, and Shoshannah treats them as normal parts of any outing with young children. When a child becomes upset, the family stops, takes a breath, shares a snack, and recharges before continuing. Warm drinks—especially hot chocolate at a hut—often reset moods and give the kids something to look forward to. She also uses practical distractions: checking topographic maps together lets the children see how far they’ve come and how close they are to the goal, turning anxiety about distance into a sense of progress. By acknowledging the difficulty and providing immediate comfort, she keeps the overall experience positive rather than letting a single setback derail the trek.
Meaningful Hikes and Personal Growth
Certain hikes hold special significance for Shoshannah, particularly those undertaken after personal health struggles. Ten months after surviving sepsis, she hiked to Lake Angelus Hut in Nelson Lakes National Park over four days. At the time, she was battling anxiety, depression, and a lack of trust in her body following the illness. The trek marked a turning point: for the first time in months she felt almost no anxiety, felt “like herself,” and enjoyed the stunning weather and scenery. The experience reinforced her belief that the mountains provide a healthy outlet for mental‑health struggles, offering fresh air, physical exertion, and a sense of accomplishment that combats everyday stress.
Navigating Overnight Stays in Huts
Overnight stays in backcountry huts have become routine for Shoshannah’s family. Bedtimes can be tricky when sharing a hut with other hikers, especially if the children are noisy. She notes that most hut users are welcoming and often engage the kids in games, which boosts the children’s morale. If she anticipates disturbance, she brings a tent to give the family a private space. At night, she practices bed‑sharing—placing one child on each side of her—so she can respond quickly if they need comfort. If the children become rowdy, she takes them outside for a short walk or to cool down, ensuring the hut environment remains peaceful for everyone.
Hopes for the Children’s Future Memories
Looking ahead, Shoshannah hopes her children will retain both the joyful and challenging moments of their early adventures. She wants them to remember that overcoming tough sections on the trail builds confidence and resilience, reinforcing the idea that perseverance leads to rewards—whether it’s a warm cup of cocoa at a hut or a breathtaking vista at a summit. These experiences, she believes, will give them the confidence to tackle any goal they set their minds to. Beyond the tangible rewards, she wishes they will recall the laughter, inside jokes, and the sense of unity that comes from sharing the trail together. Reflecting on her own childhood hikes, she acknowledges how those early experiences shaped her love of tramping and contributed to her mental‑well‑being, and she hopes to pass that same benefit on to her kids.
Reflections on Mental Health and Lifestyle
Shoshannah emphasizes that moving her body and breathing fresh air does “absolute wonders” for both mental and physical health. Tramping has become a positive, healthy outlet for dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression, and she considers it essential for anyone needing to decompress from daily life. Although she now creates outdoor‑related content professionally—a role that allows her to share her passion with a wider audience—she insists she would find a way to get into the mountains regardless of her job. The activity remains a personal necessity, not just a career choice.
Conclusion
Shoshannah Shand’s story illustrates how family hiking can be both a practical adventure and a powerful tool for personal growth. By thoughtfully planning food, employing games and treats to keep children motivated, responding compassionately to meltdowns, and making use of hut communities for support, she has turned challenging wilderness treks into enriching experiences for herself and her kids. The memories forged on trails like the Old Ghost Road and Lake Angelus Hut are intended to instil lifelong confidence, resilience, and a love of the outdoors—qualities that will serve her children well long after the boots are taken off. For those inspired to follow her example, her social‑media channels offer a window into the realities and rewards of hiking with little ones.