Hiking With Kids--Trail Games

by melynda

This is part of a series of posts about hiking with children. Scroll down to see the other posts.

For many of us, being outside, breathing fresh air, listening to bird calls and watching creeks gurgle and purl is enough. But kids might need a little more incentive to keep moving down the trail.

These games can entice kids into the outdoors while simultaneously getting them to pay closer attention to the environment. They might even get you to stop and smell the flowers!

Follow up:

• Color Search. Choose a color and have everyone in the group try to find 10 things of that color. Whoever finds them first gets to pick the next color. You could also do this with other parameters such as “things that are moving” or “animal signs”.

• Scavenger Hunt. Make a list before you head out on the trail (or in your head as you go along) of things for kids to find. Depending on your kids’ age and where you are, this might include: something green, something soft, a place where an animal has stopped, a food source, something unnatural…. the list can go on and on.

• Sound Map. During a rest break, pull out a sheet of paper (or a nature journal) and a pencil. Have your child shut his or her eyes and listen to the sounds around them. Then they can make a map of the sounds they hear. They can use symbols, pictures, words or whatever they choose to delineate the sounds.

• I Spy. This is a classic that can be easily played on the trail. Pick something everyone can see, but don’t say what it is. The rest of the group asks yes or no questions to figure it out. Whoever guesses first gets to pick the next item to guess.

• Find a Tree. This game is played in pairs. Blindfold one of the duo (now you know why you always carry a bandana hiking). The non-blindfolded person gently leads their partner to a tree. This works best if you don’t take a direct route. The blindfolded person spends a few minutes feeling their tree and getting to know it before they are walked back to the starting area. With the blindfold off, they try to find their tree. Switch roles.

• Memory. Select 10 or so natural items (pine cones, rocks, sticks etc) in secret and place them under a bandana or jacket. Then pull off the material and give your kids 10 seconds to memorize what they see. Re-cover. The players scoot about trying to remember and find the items they saw. When everyone returns, compare what they found to what you collected. Return items to where they came from. (Of course, don’t use flowers or other things that shouldn’t be disturbed. Check the Leave No Trace guidelines if you are unsure.)

What other games do you play with your kids on the trail?