Doing Compostela with your children: our 7 tips

1 – Choose a route suitable for your children

First of all, it is important to choose the route you want to take with your children, according to their age and physical level. Have they already walked long distances? Are they familiar with hiking? Prepare yourself in advance, while keeping in mind that the path is also adventure and discovery.

Calculate the number of days you will need to reach your destination, and consider adding a few extra days to your schedule in case of fatigue, injury, or simply to take the time to visit a city.

Not all the Camino de Santiago are suitable for children. Choose a route with short stages and moderate differences in altitude. Think of a route that your family might enjoy because of its setting. For example, the Portuguese Way runs along the Atlantic coast and allows you to enjoy swimming on the beach.

The Camino Francés offers many facilities and services suitable for families. It is easy to find places to stop while walking less than 20 km per day. The Puy-en-Velay path is the most used in France, and you will find the shops and hostels you need there.

Avoid paths like the Via de la Plata, which sometimes offer stages of more than 40 km, all under a blazing sun.

Whether you decide to go with your tent, sleep in a hostel or in hotels, there are all types of accommodation on the way, and for all budgets. It’s up to you to compose the itinerary that suits you!

2 – Physically prepare your children for walking

Before you leave, it is essential to prepare yourself physically. You can plan hikes with your children, gradually increasing the distance and difficulty. This will allow them to get used to walking long distances and enjoy the experience of the trail on the day, but also to learn how to carry a backpack and break in their shoes before leaving!

Note that it is normal, at the beginning, to feel tired and to take many breaks. The body must get used to daily walking. Whether you are an adult, a child, or whatever your physical condition, the first week of walking will be more difficult than the others. The important thing is to walk at your own pace and find the one that suits your little tribe.

3 – Involve children in preparing the materials

Prepare everyone’s equipment. It is important that the children feel involved in the experience and that each one carries a bag, even a small one. But above all, teach them to travel with the essentials, because every gram counts. Think about what is necessary and what can be shared in the bags of each member of your family. The worst mistake to make on the Camino de Santiago is to leave with a bag that is too heavy, filled with objects that you probably won’t use.

The important thing is to involve the children in preparing the route. Help them choose their equipment, let them prepare their backpacks, taking care to do a check before leaving. This will help them feel invested in the adventure.

4 – Organize yourself at your own pace and listen to yourself

Children walk at a different pace than adults. Adjust your schedule accordingly and allow frequent breaks to allow them to rest and hydrate.

Children get dehydrated faster than adults. Always carry plenty of water and healthy snacks to keep them energized, and turn breaks into fun times.

Remember to pay attention to yourself, but also to listen to your children so that they do not lose motivation. Be careful not to exceed 15 to 20 km per day, depending on the physical condition of your children, to avoid tiring them out too much in the long term.

Remember that your pace will build as the journey progresses. There is no need to plan a precise schedule in advance. Things will happen naturally on the way, because every day is different. Depending on the weather, the elevation or how tired everyone is, you will not always follow what you had planned at the start. You also have to let yourself be carried along by the path.

Flexibility is the key to success when traveling with kids. Be prepared to adjust your goals based on their energy and mood. Above all, respect their needs so as not to put them off the experience.

5 – Plan activities for children

Children may get tired of walking. Provide a game, book, or even a sketchbook so they can draw or write about their day in it.

Do activities while walking, plan times for swimming in rivers or the ocean. Plan days off without walking to enjoy a fun visit, a museum, etc.

During the walk, teach them to observe the surrounding fauna and flora or tell them the stories of the Camino de Santiago. This adventure to Santiago is a good way to educate your children and give them an authentic experience.

6 – Make your children aware of the spirit of the pilgrimage

The spirit of the pilgrimage includes respect for other walkers and the environment, but also mutual assistance between pilgrims. Teach them to greet others with the famous “Buen Camino!”. The Camino de Santiago is the ideal adventure to transmit fundamental values ​​to your children.

One thing is certain, walking to Compostela will make your children grow. Through the learning they will receive on the way, the encounters they will make, the discoveries and the difficulties to overcome. Do not hesitate and let your children have their own experience, listen to them and discuss the day you have just spent.

Ask them what they liked or disliked about the day, and let them share with the other pilgrims. This path is also their personal path..

7 – Take advantage of the journey to grow and make others grow

Let yourself be carried away by the experience of travel and walking to reflect, create stronger family bonds; but above all, to learn to know yourself and your family better. Enjoy every moment with your loved ones!

The Camino de Santiago is above all a human and spiritual adventure. Explain to children the meaning of the pilgrimage and encourage them to meet other pilgrims and share their experiences.

Your children will be able to discover new landscapes, perhaps even speak a new language, learn to share, communicate with others and open up to different cultures.

Finally, look at the world through the eyes of a child, just like the rest of your family will. Be well-organized, but also leave some room for adventure… And one thing is for sure: children are the best placed to do this!