Going out for a family walk is a great way of getting exercise and seeing something new or discovering nature and things closer to home that you might never have noticed before.
But first, we have LOADS of family-friendly walking inspiration!
50+ Walks in York – from walks in the city centre to some further afield.
Circular Walks in York – perfect for kids as there is no moaning about walking all the way back!
Walks with cafes nearby – we like to think of these with walks for a bonus treat for parents… coffee!
Woodland Walks near York – great for building in a few more activities for the kids, like den building or leaf collecting.
Nature Reserves near York – don’t miss our free scavenger hunts, there’s one for each season!
York Mumbler’s Mythical Creature Quest – if you want a short and fun walk around town, download our Quest!
Here are our top 10 tips for making walking with kids more fun and less of a chore!
This idea is pretty similar to how you might pass time on a long car journey. Try and think of different games you can play together whilst walking along. Here are a few suggestions:
Make up your own simple ‘I spy’ lists to take out on your walk and tick off. You can do a new list each time you go out. You can include anything from road signs to nature! We’ve listed some ideas below:
You can always print out one of our Scavenger Hunts to try too. There’s one for each season!
Or try the York Mumbler Mythical Creature Quest! Download our FREE magical and mythical trail around York City Centre!
Our Mumbler Mythical Creature Quest takes you on a short but magical walk around York to seek out eight mythical creatures that are hiding in the city. Perhaps you’ve walked past some of them before and never even noticed them?
Once you find each creature you’ll need to unscramble the clues to uncover the magical Mumbler password!
If you have a magnifying glass, keep your eyes on the ground and go looking for some bugs in your street. Just remember not to touch or pick anything up.
Just look at the insects if you are out in public. If you want to do some real bug hunting, and if you have a garden, then that is the safest place for a full bug hunt.
Letting your child take some photos can add some variety to your walks and they will probably love being in charge of the camera. Try writing a list before you go out of things to photograph. It’s also a good way to ‘collect’ the items on your ‘I spy’ lists.
You could set a theme for the photos you take on your walk and print them off when you get home to turn into a collage.
Of course, you also get to enjoy ‘editing’ 3 million photos from your camera/phone when you get home. 😂
Ok, so it’s not going to be as fun as a trip to the park, but why not try balancing on any lines you see, not standing on the cracks or jumping over any covers in the pavements. Please engage in this activity responsibly!
As a lot of us are simply walking around our local neighbourhoods there are probably plenty of road and street signs to see. Ask your child to read the signs or ask them what they think they mean.
You could design your own trail for your children around your local streets. Decide on a simple circular route and write down basic directions and clues for them to solve. The clues can be based on street signs, road signs or shop names, even manhole covers – there are plenty of words out there when you start looking. The answer to the clue should reveal one letter and then all the answers (letters) make up an anagram your child needs to work out at the end.
Why not try to beat your previous day’s step count…another lap around the block anyone? 😂
Or you could do the same walk a few times and see if you can beat your time! Might get everyone moving along to try and shave a few seconds off your personal best!
Give your child a map (either print off a map of your local area or use your phone). You can teach your child how to read the map, identify north and south, and try to navigate. Maybe you can encourage your child to plan a route or draw a map of your route before you head out.
You could also use a mapping app on your phone and show your child how to use it.
See if your child can find all the colours of the rainbow in nature whilst out on your walk. Before you go, they could make their own sheet with the colours of the rainbow on with space next to each one to write down what they’ve found.
💜If you have any other fun ideas or games you play with your family whilst out walking please let us know 💜
