Keeping Your Kids Entertained Whilst Walking

Scavenger Hunt

Before you set off, prepare a list of a dozen or so items that you are likely to come across during your walk. Choose mainly items that you are pretty sure your kids will discover during your walk such as a feather or a fir cone and then add some more peculiar items such as sheep’s wool or an owl pellet. The idea of a scavenger hunt is pretty straight forward. Each of the children is given their own bag to collect the items along the way with the winner being the person who has collected the most items on their list by the end of the walk. Remember to always tailor your list of items to the area where you will be walking; for example a walk along the coast may include items such as a sea shells. The more times you play the more creative you can get.

Photo Competition

Similarly to a scavenger hunt (described above) issue your kids with a list of items to photograph along your walk using a digital camera. Keep it pretty broad and allow your kids a little room for interpretation. Items such as a flower, an amphibian or a sea creature are ideal, but being too specific can take the fun out of the game. At the end of the walk and with a nice hot cup of tea in hand you can then all sit down and review the photos together, awarding points for the best snaps.

Treasure Map

This suggestion requires a little extra preparation but is worth the extra time spent. Basically it involves creating a ‘treasure map’ of the route and letting the kids navigate. Make it fun and use simple landmarks and instructions by which to navigate. Depending on the age of the children you may also wish to ‘discover’ the map with them to add to the excitement but always make sure that there is treasure to be found at the end by sneaking ahead and hiding a treat at the end. The sky’s the limit with this idea, it just depends on how creative you want to be.