Walks with Child Appeal

Plan to visit places that will appeal to children

Children are more likely to like places with lots of things to look at and places to clamber over:

• dunes, trees, water and beaches (though be careful close to deep, unprotected water)
• unusual and odd buildings
• playgrounds and other facilities
• safe areas of green space where they can run about
• transport like trains and boats
• animals (farms, zoos, woods, duckponds)
• famous landmarks and places connected to other things that interest them, like films, TV, pop music, books and sport.
• child-friendly attractions
• places with shops and people

They’re usually less interested in straight and flat paths, landscapes and views.

Think about practical things like getting to the walk, toilets and refreshments, and whether there’s an easy way of cutting the walk short if they get tired. Keep walks short until you know about their abilities – it’s better to leave them feeling they could do more than tired out and bad-tempered.

Get them involved in planning and running the walks, perhaps plotting the route on a map and map reading during the walk.

Plan fun activities and games like making a list of things to spot or pick up beforehand, or dressing in fancy dress or masks to ‘play act’ during the walk.

For more ideas for activities, see the Change4Life website.

There are books of family friendly walks devised by other people available in some areas.

Filed under: Walking for Children and Families
Tagged: Child, Children, Ramblers, routes, short walks, walk, Walking
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