Today we are thrilled to introduce our newest contributor, Andy Kimmelman who will be writing the monthly column ‘Opt Outside With Outdoor Dad’. Andy is, most importantly, Eloise and Henry's dad. He's also the owner and director, with his wife Liz, of Tumbleweed Day Camp in Los Angeles and Camp Ursa Major in Napa. You can often find him enjoying all the outdoors has to offer, whether he's hiking, kayaking, fly fishing, sailing, or just sitting in the stands at Dodger Stadium.

Unplugging and exploring nature is good for your body. It’s great for your brain. So when Liz and I first planned to have kids, we knew that we had to include them in our outdoor adventures, even though that might look different from our pre-parenthood trips to Death Valley or the Yosemite Wilderness.

As early as we could, we stuffed Eloise (and later, her brother Henry) in a carrier and hit the trail. Once they were old enough to move independently, though, it was time for a more toddler-friendly approach. Here’s how:

Do your research. REI’s Hiking Project and AllTrails are both great apps for finding hikes near you, wherever you are. You can filter by location, length, “good for kids,” and features like beaches or mountains. I’m old school, and I actually like the book Afoot and Afield in Southern California for its great hike descriptions and less-trafficked suggestions. Wherever you do your research, look for hikes with less elevation gain (both apps will even give you an elevation view of the trail, so you can see whether it’s steep or more gradual). This can be more important than the length of the trail: you can always turn back if your hike is getting too long, but little ones can have a hard time on steeper paths.

Be prepared. Don’t be Dave and Kath: you don’t need much to get outside. Water and snacks are a must, and sunscreen and appropriate clothing too. Otherwise, just bring the bare minimum that you’ll actually need on the trail. You have to carry whatever you take, and you might have to carry a tired toddler, too.

Start slow. A walk around the park, away from the playground, or even just down your street can be a great intro to the mindset of being in nature. Find a trail close to home (there are tons in Los Angeles) rather than driving hours away, to avoid the “are we there yet?” anticipation. A kid told me once that hiking was really just walking, but with more nature. Starting out close and easy will help your kids develop confidence in themselves and a love for the outdoors that’ll last a lifetime. You can tackle Half Dome later!

Make it fun. When I hike alone or just with my wife Liz, we like to take lots of time to be quiet and mindful along the trail, but this isn’t always great for little ones. Sing songs and play games. Bring along a field guide (a book or app) so you can identify new plants, birds, and bugs. Even without a guide, tap into your kids’ curiosity and let them explore for themselves. 10 minutes of tracking a lizard through the bushes is often Henry’s favorite part of our hikes together. Older kids love a good scavenger hunt, competing to find the shiniest rock or biggest pinecone. Whatever you do, think about the whole hike as an adventure, rather than just a means to a destination like a cool viewpoint.