What to do when you’re staying at home but you still need some fresh air, and the same old stroll down the street is getting a little dull?
Here are some fun ways to take a, “Hike,” with kids that don’t require going further than down the block (or getting too close to anyone)! These will make your daily walks with the kids seem a little more like an adventure!
Penny Hike
At each turn or intersection, your child flips the coin. “Heads,” you go left and, “Tails,” you go right. As a bonus, your neighbors will be scratching their heads wondering why you’re walking in circles!
Pajama Hike
It’s a walk in your pajamas. You’re probably already wearing them, right?
Flashlight Hike
If you and the kids are sleeping in anyway, let them stay up until dark and take a walk around the neighborhood with your flashlights. Just don’t trip!
Bear Hunt
Is your neighborhood doing a bear hunt or putting hearts in the windows? If not, maybe you could start something up! Kids walk and try to spot bears or hearts on the way. We’ve heard some folks are also putting up eggs! Hop to it!
I Spy or Alphabet Hunt walk
Any game you used to play on a driving trip can be converted to a walking game! See if your beginning readers can find each letter of the alphabet in order as you walk, or play, “I spy,” with things on your street.
Scavenger Hunt or Treasure Hunt
See if the kids can find a round rock, or a pointy leaf, and so on. There are lots of printable scavenger hunts online, but you can easily make your own. Or just let the kids decide what, “Treasures,” they want to take home. A clean egg carton is a handy container. When my boys were small we had a big flower pot on the porch to hold those sticks and pine cones that were too precious to leave behind but too dirty to bring in the house!
Where to go? These walks are all designed to be fun with your immediate family in your own neighborhood, but as of this writing there are still some area trails that are open. Obviously, you will want to check before you head out, and make sure it’s a path you can use while still maintaining a distance from your fellow walkers.
I’d love to hear what close-to-home adventures you’ve been having with your family!