How To Make Family Walks More Fun

Pursuing an active family lifestyle can be tough given all the distractions we have. How many kids want to go outside when they could be shooting aliens all afternoon? Probably not as many as parents would like!

But going on a walk doesn’t have to be boring. There are plenty of ways to make walking as a family more fun – you just need to find out what will motivate your kids. You should also consider walking as a great way to get some quality time with your kids, talking about the deeper stuff that affects their lives.

Here are a few ideas you might like to try.

Find a Park with Cool Attractions

Walking around a park is a nice way to get in touch with nature but your kids might need something a little more exciting to keep them going. Finding a trail that contains various features such as statues or fountains is also a good idea as you can keep a lookout for the next thing.

If you can, find a park that has a theme you can go with. Animatronic dinosaur attractions are always going to appeal to kids who have lots of imagination. Make a whole story about escaping the dinosaurs and don’t just walk – run! Hide! Quick!!!

Pack a Picnic

Kids tend to be motivated by just a few things: fun and food. If you can’t persuade them that they are going to have fun on a walk, you can at least persuade them that you will take a lot of delicious food to eat in the middle. Although, if you are going on a longer walk, you might want to try having chocolate stops along the way!

Making picnic food together is a fun way to start and there are lots of easy recipes you can make together. This is a great way to bond before your walk but withholding the treat is also an excellent motivator for getting your kids out and about. Pack the basket together and then choose your walk – if you can make this a regular thing then that’s even better.

Play Games Along the Way

Enrolling your kids in sports teams is a great way to help them grow in confidence and meet new people. But playing in a family is just as fun. Take a frisbee on your walk, bring a few balls to throw and catch or go for some old fashioned tag. When you play in a team, there is pressure to win but on your walk, this is much more about running off some energy and having fun.

You can also play games while you walk such as i-spy or I went to market. This will keep you entertained as you go, even if the scenery is a bit bland. Plus, this is a good way to start chatting with your kids about deeper things like how they are doing at school or how their friendships are going. Treat the walk as quality time and your kids will soon realise that this is the best way to get your attention.