Use games, songs, and activities to keep your kids from getting bored or tired.
Distractions from simply trudging along in the woods will help your kids (and you) stay interested and motivated.
Here are some ideas:
- Play “I Spy” or”20 Questions.”
- Sing your favorite songs or make up words about the hike to fit into a familiar tune.
- Count birds, flowers, or clouds.
- Search for anything that is blue (or red or yellow or…).
- Take turns using a camera to document the trip.
- Play the alphabet game: find something on the trail that starts with the letter a, then b, and so on.
- Create your own – or simply use or modify RIFIN’s – hiking scavenger hunt.
- Collect leaves, shells, rocks, or acorns – and then remember to return them before going home.
- Imagine you are living in the forest long, long ago and pretend to hunt or gather food.
- Bring paper and crayons to draw animals, plants, or favorite scenes. Older children might enjoy keeping a “nature journal” of your adventures together.
- Ask simple, open ended questions about objects in nature.
- Work together to make up silly poems or stories.
- Let children create their own games – they will most likely impress you!