Getting your kids involved in exercise can be a thankless task especially if they’re more prone to spending their spare time online, playing video games or watching films. But if you can instil the benefits and fun to be had from walking and hiking this can become a life-long enjoyable activity.
If you’re met with groans or laughter every time you suggest a breath of fresh air then get creative and turn your jaunt into an adventure in order to inspire your children.
Encourage adventure
Children do love the great outdoors, wide open spaces, magnificent scenery, scrambling through streams and discovering beaches. But they won’t know about these beautiful places until you take them and this is where the joy of discovering new locations comes in. A simple walk does sound boring to the young ones but show them a few pictures of the places you will be going to and it will give them a different perspective. That tedious sounding walk will then become an adventure trek and something to be looked forward each week rather than a chore suggested by parents.
Add some activities
Another way to make your walk through the countryside or down to the beach a little more fun is to add an activity that the younger children will especially enjoy. You can suggest a treasure hunt with prizes such as soft toys or chocolate gold coins or include some bird spotting and an excursion to a historical point of interest as part of your walk. Anything that fires up you children’s imagination will stoke their enthusiasm for a day out. If children associate walking with fun it’s more likely to become a healthy habit that will endure over the years.
A group activity
Walking and hiking can be excellent social activities and there should be clubs available to join in your area. These clubs are great for taking longer trips including some weekend jaunts further afield with the cost split between the group or included in membership fees. Parents and children will be able to meet new friends and these trips can include additional activities such as kayaking, skiing, cycling and rock-climbing. Again, this is a great way to get the entire family involved and this can be a hobby that your children will continue into adulthood.
Walking is a great form of exercise with plenty of health benefits as well as being completely free. Start off with a few weekly walks and if your children are enthusiastic you can move up to hiking trips and even camping weekends.
Scavenger hunts always got my boy outside! We always had some sort of plan. Telling kids “lets go for a walk” just doesn’t work anymore, especially if they bring one of there devices lol.
It’s hard to get the kids off of the electronics!
I find that getting kids active and excited about walking, running or just physical activity is often reflective of a parents’ attitude. They will be excited, if I am excited… I often let the kids do free play; allow them to play and explore without structured activity or too much oversight (they are always safe though). Allowing them to go exploring while camping, or running wild through the neighbourhood with their friends on their bikes… Walking to school, letting them return by a specific time. Taking them traveling with me to off-beat places and turning everything into an adventure. I want them to be excited about life and the world and about their own potential (including their own physical wellness). Thanks!
Love all of this! I totally agree, I want my boys to be excited about life, the world and their own potential as well! <3
I totally agree with a lot of this! There’s so much to learn from being outdoors!