Outdoor family life
We moved to Colorado for the rivers and the pine trees, and then discovered that taking a four-year-old outside is its own extreme sport. Worth it every time — but nobody tells you about the mudroom standoffs or the seven pairs of boots you'll buy before you find the right ones.
So here's all of it in one place: trails, tents, fishing rods, snow days, road trips, and the gear that actually held up against my kid. Honest pros and cons, tested by us, not by a spec sheet. 🥾
10 posts in this guide
On the trail
Hiking with a four-year-old is less 'summit push' and more 'look at this rock, mama' every eleven feet. Here's what we carry, what we've worn out, and how we actually get down the mountain before dark.
- Burlebo Classic Deer Camo Backpack Review: Two Months With a 4-Year-Old Who Refuses to Take It Off
An honest review of the Burlebo Classic Deer Camo kids backpack after two months of daily use — what I love, the one thing I genuinely miss, and the price.
- The Best Hiking Boots for a 4-Year-Old Boy: An Honest, Trail-Tested Review (With Pros and Cons!)
Looking for trail-tested hiking boots for your high-energy 4-year-old? Annie shares honest reviews, pros & cons, and real Colorado trail experience!
Camping, fishing and the wide open
The good stuff. Sleeping in a tent with a kid who does not want to sleep in a tent, teaching small hands to cast, and the outdoor toys that survive an entire Colorado summer in the backyard.
- The Ultimate Honest Guide to Outdoor Toys for an Active 4-Year-Old (Tested by a Mountain-Loving Family!)
Wondering what outdoor toys actually survive a wild 4-year-old? Annie shares honest pros, cons, and real-life reviews of outdoor gear for high-energy kids.
- Real Talk: How to Actually Survive Camping with a 4-Year-Old (and Have Fun!)
Planning a tent trip with your wild kiddo? Here are my honest tips, easy meal hacks, and gear wins for camping with a 4-year-old.
- The Absolute Best Kid Fishing Rods for 4-Year-Olds: Our Colorado Tried-and-Tested Gear Guide
Stop wasting money on plastic character toys! Here is our honest, battle-tested review of the best real fishing rod options for your 4-year-old.
When the weather turns
Cold and wet are not reasons to stay in — bad gear is. This is how we keep going outside in snow, slush and sideways rain without a forty-minute fight in the mudroom.
- Are Bogs Winter Boots Worth It For a 4-Year-Old? Our Honest Colorado Review
An honest, real-life review of Bogs waterproof boots for a wild 4-year-old boy in snow. PROS, CONS, and whether they're worth your money!
- The Best Rain Gear for Active 4-Year-Old Boys: An Honest Colorado Mama Review
Rain gear that actually survives a wild 4-year-old boy? An honest review of the boots, suits, and waders tested on Colorado trails.
- How to Get Your Outdoor-Obsessed 4-Year-Old Outside in Winter Without Losing Your Mind
Struggling to get your high-energy 4-year-old outside in the cold? Here is my honest Colorado winter routine, gear list, and sanity-saving tips.
Getting there: road trips and travel gear
Most of our adventures start with two hours in the truck. Snacks, sanity, and the gear that keeps the backseat from turning into a disaster zone.
- The Best Car-Seat Organizers and Travel Trays for Road Trips With a 4-Year-Old (Honest Review!)
Planning a road trip with your 4-year-old? Annie breaks down the best backseat organizers and lap travel trays that actually survive wild mountain drives.
- The Ultimate Road Trip Survival Guide With a 4-Year-Old: Snacks, Sanity, and Zero Meltdowns
Survive your next long drive with a high-energy 4-year-old using my realistic road trip guide full of simple snack hacks, sanity-saving games, and gear.
Go make some mud
Take the long way home, let him get filthy, and don't think about the laundry until later. There's more where this came from.