Ten Top Tips for a fun family walk
Posted by Spotty Otter on 15th May 2024
Struggling to keep your little one engaged during longer walks? Check out our top five tips to make hiking more enjoyable for the whole family!
- Make sure you choose the right walk, Hiking with the family means taking everyone. Choose a route suitable for all.
- Don't forget the snacks! Hiking is hungry work. Pack some tasty treats to enjoy only when sharing time in the great outdoors.
- Kids are natural explorers and want to pick up and touch everything. This is one of the greatest things about hiking, there’s so much of the natural world for kids to discover, so make sure they have time to enjoy everything.
- Scavenger Hunts
Get creative with scavenger hunts! Challenge your children to find items like leaves longer than their little finger or sticks shaped like specific letters. You can also use pre-prepared lists or print off our free scavenger hunt resources from our Nature Club content. You can join our free Nature Club HERE
- Litter Picking
Make a game out of keeping nature clean by bringing along gloves and a bag to collect litter during your walk. Your children will love the instant gratification of making a positive impact on the environment.
- I Spy
Classic but effective! Keep your little ones entertained by playing I Spy. Whether you're in the countryside, by the sea, or near a road, there's always something to spy. For younger children, try using colors instead of letters.
- Water has magical powers to rejuvenate tired hikers! Whether it's a lake for feeding ducks, a stream for paddling and racing sticks, or a muddy puddle for jumping, water adds an extra element of fun to your hike.
- Sticks
Sticks are a universal favorite! Collect walking sticks as you go, and play games like Pooh sticks when you come across water. Sticks can also be used for building stick dens, providing endless entertainment for the whole family.
- Leave no trace! Why not turn this into a quick litter-picking activity? Pack a bag and collect some rubbish to take home and bin.
- Make it fun! The key to hiking success is to keep the kids motivated and having fun! Create games that you and your children can play out on a walk, and have them find things that are bumpy, smelly, small, big, living, wet…the list goes on!
Have fun, you can enjoy fresh air and sunshine while exercising in the great outdoors. Make your walk fun for the whole family with the above tips. We hope these ideas help make your hiking adventures more enjoyable! Don't forget to gear up with outdoor wear and accessories before you head out.