Get the kids walking!

Exercise is essential for children but it can be difficult to get them away from their games consoles! Regular walking will make your children healthier and happier. It could also establish good habits for later life. You’ll find it’s a great way to spend quality time with the kids as you can talk and explore together.

Here are some ideas for making walking fun for kids – and you’ll enjoy it too!

• Don’t suggest ‘going for a walk’, but, an outing or adventure to a park, playground or pond, a friend’s house, the shops, the cinema…
• Make it a treat – take things to eat and drink or even a picnic
• Give children a small knapsack to pack and carry
• How about a treasure hunt? Collect leaves, fir-cones, feathers, pebbles…. And pop them in the knapsack
• Go to places connected to things that interest your children: films, TV, pop music, books, sport
• Play games along the way such as I-Spy, animal spotting, learning numbers or spelling, identifying shapes, counting different coloured cars or front doors….
• Go walking in the rain with wellies and brollies – enjoy the puddles!
• Keep walking diaries or scrap books – start with the logbook from the Get walking pack
• Write a letter to someone special together and post it on your walk
• A great way to make new friends is to join a local Ramblers family walking group
• Get the kids walking to school

Useful links

• Ramblers family walking groups
• Walking to school

Posted: Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 12:54 pm, filed under Walking Tips.
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