Making walking more fun for kids

Taken from guest blog by Leanne – York Mumbler

It’s great for everyone’s physical and mental health to get out regularly for some fresh air and exercise. Here are a few ideas for some extra fun on family walks and when spending time outdoors…

1. Scavenger hunt
For younger kids, our picture scavenger hunts can be printed and ticked off on your walk, whatever the season:
☀️Summer  🍂Autumn 👻Halloween 🎅Christmas

For older kids, a simple A-Z hunt can be printed here. Alternatively you could make up your own scavenger hunt list tailored to your child’s interests, and include anything from cars to nature. Here are a few ideas:

• Types of vehicles
• Different road signs
• Types of trees or flowers
• Insects
• Find all the numbers 1-10 (on signs, houses etc)
• Everyday objects…letterbox, manhole cover, bus stop, park bench etc

2. Strava Art
Find some open space and download a free tracking app such as Strava and challenge your children to make some masterpieces! For a full project, why not get them to plan some walks on your local streets using maps? After the planning, see if your designs match the outcome.

3. Map reading
Give your child a map (either print off a map of your local area or use your phone). You can teach your child how to read the map, identify north and south, and try to navigate. Maybe you can encourage your child to plan a route or draw a map of your route before you head out. You could also use a mapping app on your phone and show your child how to use it.

4. Games
Pretty similar to how you might pass time on a long car journey, try and think of different games you can play together whilst walking along. Here are a few suggestions:

• I spy – needs no explanation!
• Going on a picnic – one person says an item you’d take on a picnic. The next person then repeats that item and adds a new one to the list. It carries on until someone forgets the whole list!
• Alphabet hunt – look for the letters of the alphabet in order on road and street signs.
• Counting game – count 10 cars, 10 trees, 10 dogs…you get the idea!
• Create a story together – each person takes it in turns to say make up a story by saying one line at a time
• Think of an animal – the rest of your family has to guess what animal you are by asking you questions that you can only say yes or no to!
• Ghost – a good spelling game for older kids. The challenge is to add letters to form a word but not be the one that completes the word. Start with a random letter, then each player takes turns adding new letters.

5. Bug hunt
Go looking for bugs, if you have a magnifying glass take it along for a closer look. You could take a few pictures, and when you get home research the different bugs you’ve seen or even draw them.

6. Rainbow hunt
See if your child can find all the colours of the rainbow in nature whilst out on your walk. Before you go, they could make their own sheet with the colours of the rainbow on with space next to each one to write down what they’ve found.

7. Photographs
Letting your child take some photos can add some variety and they will probably love being in charge of the camera. Try writing a list before you go out of things to photograph. It’s also a good way to ‘collect’ the items on your ‘I spy’ lists.

You could set a theme for the photos you take on your walk and print them off when you get home to turn into a collage. Of course, you also get to enjoy ‘editing’ 3 million photos from your camera/phone when you get home. 😂

8. Design a trail
Design your own trail for your children around your local streets or park. Decide on a simple circular route and write down basic directions and clues for them to solve. The clues can be based on street signs, road signs or shop names, even manhole covers – there are plenty of words out there when you start looking. The answer to the clue could reveal one letter and then all the answers (letters) make up an anagram your child needs to work out at the end.

9. Obstacle course
Why not try balancing on any lines you see, not standing on the cracks or jumping over any covers in the pavements (taking care in icy/slippery conditions).

10. Beat your step count
Why not try to beat your previous outings step count? Or you could do the same walk a few times and see if you can beat your time! Might get everyone moving along to try and shave a few seconds off your personal best!

11. Play what does the sign mean?
If you’re on a walk around your local neighbourhood there are probably plenty of road and street signs to see. Ask your child to read the signs or ask them what they think they mean.

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Thanks so much to our guest blogger Leanne. If you have family or friends in York be sure to let them know about the York Mumbler site.

There’s plenty on Gateshead Mumbler to help keep little ones (and big ones!) busy, check here for more ideas and info for playgroups, classes and fun days out from tots to teens!

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