Five fun things to do on a walk

Being outside in nature is important for our wellbeing and general health. Going for a walk with our children is a pretty common activity when you’re a parent. Whether it’s because we have errands to run or we just need that breath of fresh air – walking outside can be a lot of fun.

Whatever the reason – sometimes it can be great to take a fresh look at the neighbourhood that you are walking around. So, try any of these 5 fun ideas next time you are looking to add a little excitement to your walk.

1. Look at the numbers on the letter boxes and driveways

This is really great for your children as they can start to see sequences in numbers. This includes how numbers go up or down as you walk the street, and how the numbers switch from one side of the road to the other. Your kids can also learn their own street address, which is an important piece of information for them to know.

2. Search for a bird’s nest

Where can you find a bird’s nest in your area? Most of the time, birds build nests in trees but that’s not the only place they can build them. You can look up and check building eaves, up on roofs or on sheds and other outdoor buildings. You can talk about bird’s nests, how birds build them and what they are for. You can even talk about baby birds and wonder if you would find any in a nest.

3. Notice the road signs

Once your child starts to develop an understanding of words and numbers, road signs are a fantastic way to reinforce what they already know. They can start to see patterns in the words and you can talk about basic words and signs: stop signs are a great example.

4. Comment on the different gardens, trees and flowers

Does your child have a favourite colour or favourite type of plant or tree? Can they find them as you walk around the neighbourhood? Do they notice how the plants change with the seasons? You can talk about leaves falling, new flowers blooming and maybe even fruit growing. What gardens are their favourite?

5. Talk with your child about what they see, hear and notice

Conversations with your child about what you see and hear helps them learn new words. There are usually lots of exciting things that are happening that you can comment on!  You can even make a game of it before you leave: let’s see how many red cars we see, or how many dogs, or how many buses? What do you think we will see?

These are just a few suggestions to inspire you as you take your child on their next walk. As you try these ideas out, you will see which ones excite your child. You can then change up your walks depending on what they like and what inspires them! As you experiment with these you will come up with your own ideas too. Let your imaginations run wild and have a wonderful walk.