Fun walking activities for kids

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There are so many advantages to including regular walks in your family’s routine, from burning off excess energy, exploring nature, getting fit, learning to take risks and creating amazing family memories. However, little legs can get tired quickly. Suddenly your idyllic family walk is disrupted by requests to go home or to be carried. Whether you are out in the woods or walking in your local neighbourhood, keep your children motivated with our 10 walking activities for kids.

1) Take part in a virtual challenge – Make all of your walks count by taking part in a virtual challenge. Sign-up to one of The Conqueror’s Virtual Challenges and turn your regular walks into a trip up Everest, Mt. Fuji, the Grand Canyon and many more famous routes. You can view your virtual location through Google Map’s Street View. Compare your progress against other members taking part in the challenge and receive a beautifully designed medal once you complete your challenge.

2) Reward your little walkers with a treat at your destination – Would you drag your feet or ask to go home if you knew there was ice cream at the end of your walk? I wouldn’t! Choose a destination that your family will find exciting and tell your children all about it before you start your walk. Raise their excitement levels by asking them what they are most looking forward to doing or seeing once they arrive. If at any point you feel that one of your little walkers needs encouragement remind them about what they said they were looking forward to the most.

3) Start a step-count challenge – Get the kids a pedometer and turn your family walks into a competition. Challenge your family to increase their step count with each outing. Who can register the most steps during your walk? Can you beat your personal best or set a new family record? Encourage the kids to increase their step count by running, jumping and climbing. After each walk, keep a record of your achievements. Pin it up somewhere the whole family can see it (e.g. on the fridge, by the front door or on a family activity board). Make it competitive by setting a target or awarding a prize to the first family member to reach a certain number of steps.

4) Gather materials for crafts – This is a great activity for Autumn walks – once the leaves have changed and the ground is covered with acorns, twigs, pinecones and colourful leaves. Go on a walk and gather interesting sticks, leaves, stones etc. As you gather items for your craft activity, talk about the different colours, shapes and textures. Once you are back at home, encourage the children to use their imagination and transform these into fun crafts. Need inspiration? You can find a selection of craft ideas here. 

5) Go on a scavenger hunt- Before you head off on your walk, find a free printable scavenger hunt on Pintrest. There are hundreds to choose from. You can find scavenger hunts for country walks, city walks, neighbourhood walks, etc. Make sure that you take markers/pencils with you so that you can mark off the items as you see them. Can you find them all? Have a discussion with the children about what they have found. Do they recognise them all? Which items were they not able to find? Why?  

6) Look for footprints – Can you identify the animals that made them? This one is great for a muddy or snow-covered walk because it makes the footprints easier to see. Talk about the animals that live locally. Click here to learn more about how to identify animal footprints.   

7) Collect treasures – Of our list of fun walking activities for kids, this is probably the easiest to organise. Children, especially toddlers, love picking up treasures during walks to bring home.  Give each child a bag and encourage them to look for “treasures” to put inside. This is particularly great for autumn when the ground is covered in leaves, acorns, sticks etc. At the end of your walk empty out your bags and compare your treasures, what did you find? Talk about the different colours and shapes. Choose a selection to take home with you. 

8) Go on a listening walk – Use your ears to experience your walk in a whole new way. We are so used to focusing on what we can see, but what about what we can hear? Will you hear cars, birds, dogs, aeroplanes, people, etc. During your walk find somewhere you can safely sit down, close your eyes and listen to all of the sounds around you. What can you hear? Create a list of all the sounds you hear during the walk.

9) Play a game – There are so many games that you can play during a walk to keep the children distracted, from the old classic ‘I Spy’ to games that will expand their curiosity and understanding of the world around them. Find a great selection of game ideas here.

10) Learn a skill – Walks are a great opportunity for the whole family to learn a new skill. Learn how to identify birds, wildflowers or plants. You can use apps or books to help you. Gather wild berries and learn how to make jam or other sweet treats. Learn a new mode of transport such as how to ride a bike, scooter, rollerblades/skates or a skateboard. Can you learn tricks or beat your personal best? Truly challenge yourself by taking lessons (such as rock climbing) and then incorporate these activities into your family walks so that you can practice your new skills.

These walking activities will keep the kids motivated during your famly walks. Keep things fresh by trying out different tips from the list above. Never stop challenging yourself and your family, always keep learning and growing.