Family day
Family day kit list
For Scottish hill and forest days with kids — small adventures, big snack supplies.
Most family Scottish outings end one of two ways: a great memory, or a sodden tantrum. The kit list isn't different in kind from a day walk — it's different in scale. More snacks, more layers, more spare socks, fewer assumptions about pace.
This is calibrated for primary-age kids on a half-day forest or hill walk. Toddlers in a carrier need a smaller subset; teenagers can carry their own pack and follow the standard day-walk list.
Essential12 items
Waterproof jacket (each adult and child)
£40-£120 per kid; £100+ per adultKids get colder and wetter faster. Don't skimp on the children's waterproof.
Waterproof overtrousers (each)
£20-£40 per kidKids sit on wet logs, jump in puddles, slip on wet rocks. Waterproof trousers turn a damp day into a fine one.
Walking boots or sturdy trainers
£35-£80 per kidWellies for forest tracks and low-level walks; proper kids' walking boots for hill ground.
Adult daypack (30-35L)
£60-£120You'll carry the kids' kit too. Size up from the solo day-walk pack.
Snacks (lots of)
—Hungry kid is unhappy kid. Pack twice as much as you think you need. Variety matters more than balance.
Water bottles (insulated)
£15-£25One per person. Insulated keeps water cool enough to drink on a hot summer afternoon.
Spare clothes (full set per kid)
—Spare socks, spare trousers, spare top. Kept dry in a separate dry bag. The single best morale tool for a wet walk is dry clothes.
Wet wipes
£3For muddy hands, sticky faces, post-snack cleanup, and the occasional toilet stop. Pack out.
Child carrier (for toddlers)
£200-£350For under-3s, a proper back-carrier (Osprey Poco, Deuter Kid Comfort) is the difference between an outing and a stress-fest.
First aid kit (kid-relevant)
£20Plasters in cartoon prints, antiseptic wipes, kid-dose painkillers, tweezers for thorns.
Suncream + sunhat
£20Kids burn fast in even moderate Scottish sun. SPF 50 mineral cream and a broad-brim hat.
Midge net + repellent (kid-safe)
£15Midges target kids enthusiastically. DEET-free Smidge is safe for children over six months.
Scotland note: See /kit/midge-survival for the full Scottish midge kit.
Recommended3 items
Kid backpack (10-15L)
£20-£40Letting the kid carry their own waterproof and lunch builds ownership. Don't over-pack it; under 1kg is plenty.
Picnic blanket / sit pad
£10-£25A foil-backed picnic blanket keeps lunch off the wet ground. A foam sit pad does the same job lighter.
Toy / book / small entertainment
—A small wood, a wooden bridge, a magnifying glass, a kids' bird book. Pace-breakers matter more than distance covered.
Other kit lists
Day walk
The kit you actually need for a day on the Scottish hills — Munro, Corbett, Graham or coast path.
Wild camping
Right-to-roam wild camping is one of Scotland's great gifts — here's the kit to make a night out comfortable.
Bothy night
A bothy night is a wild camp with a roof and a stove — same kit, with a few small additions.
Winter hillwalking
Winter Munro days need real winter kit — ice axe, crampons, B2 boots, and the skill to use them.
Long-distance hike
For week-long walks like the West Highland Way, Great Glen Way and Cape Wrath Trail.
Trail running
Scotland has some of the best running terrain in Europe — and the most demanding weather. Here's the kit.
Midge defence
The Scottish midge — Culicoides impunctatus — turns May to September outings into a tactical problem. This is the kit.