Do you remember the childhood game "Mother May I"? The assigned “mother” gets to call the shots as to how her “children” walk toward her: “Kathy, you may take 12 umbrella steps.” “Joe, you may take nine kangaroo steps.” The variety is what makes this game fun, and this same principle applies to encouraging children to begin a lifelong habit of walking for health and wellness.
Framing Fitness as a Fun Activity
Walking is a simple, enjoyable pastime that can also offer a connection with nature, fitness, and a stronger parent-child bond. It has the added benefit of costing nothing. Once kids are moving and observing, most will experience walking as an activity that feels good and enriches both mind and body. But, as with getting your child to eat enough fruits and vegetables, sometimes a little parenting savvy can go a long way. Children don’t usually focus on long-term benefits and consequences. It is more helpful to frame walking as an adventure or game, rather than as a task designed to better their health and fitness.
Preparing to Walk for Fun and Fitness
The attention span, interests, and physical capabilities of your child, as well as the time frame you have, will affect the type of walk you choose and how to modify the activity for your particular child. Always make sure you bring a bottle of water, and perhaps a snack for longer walks. And of course, apply sun screen and bug spray as needed before you venture out. Walk in safe, familiar areas and walk with friends or family when possible.
Walking for Fitness with Kids: The Walk Menu
Below are some ideas to add fun and variety to your daily walk:
The collecting walk: Ages 4 to 11. You can choose an item to collect ahead of time or simply let your child gather what catches his or her eye. Bring a small bag to collect your finds, and a reserve a small shelf at home to display them. The collection will reinforce good memories of the walk, creating a desire to embark on another collecting adventure.
The counting walk: Ages 4 to 8. Choose something to count when embarking on your stroll. For younger children, pick something that’s fairly easy to spot, like mailboxes or blue cars (it’s great counting practice for this age bracket, too!). Older children will enjoy a more challenging hunt--perhaps birdfeeders, vegetable gardens, or specific types of trees, flowers, or birds.
The silly walk: Ages 4 to 7: Why not extend "Mother May I" down the block and around the corner? The tried and true game of not stepping on any sidewalk cracks, or only stepping on blue tiles (e.g., at the mall) is a favorite for this age group, too.
Racewalking: Age 9 to teens. Speaking of silly walks, racewalking can look incredibly silly. But racewalking truly is a fitness sport, and an Olympic one at that. Racewalk.com has a good cartoon animation that explains the sport to kids..
Letterboxing: Age 5 to early teens. Letterboxing combines walking with treasure hunting. Letterboxing North America is a good website to get you started. Begin with clues that are published online. The walks are usually outdoors, and the clues lead to the “letterbox,” a concealed watertight box that usually contains a rubber stamp and inkpad and sometimes an extra reward (e.g., stickers). Some walks reveal multiple letterboxes. Before venturing out, consider purchasing a rubber stamp, inkpad, small paper pad, and pen. Letterboxers often leave their stamp and a note when they’ve reached their destination, and they can also collect rubber stamp impressions from the letterboxes they’ve found.
Window shopping: Age 5 to teens. This could be as simple as a walk into town. In unfavorable weather, it turns the mall into your “gym.” And parents may enjoy a glimpse at the retail offerings or perhaps a latte for the road. According to how interested your child is in the stores, this certainly can be a stop and go experience. However, any movement is good, and this choice can be especially appealing for kids who shy away from physical or outdoor activity. Make it a rule to stick to windows, rather than succumbing to the sale signs!
Walking to a destination or reward: Ages 5 to teens. It’s human nature to respond to a goal or reward. Choose destinations that generate excitement for your child. For younger children, a playground is a great destination (just make sure the walk won’t tire them out before playtime!). Teens are more likely to respond to distance goals—challenge their sense of accomplishment by gradually upping the distance. Food rewards are okay, too, within reason. The return trip home will help metabolize the reward!
Nature identification walk: Age 7 to teens.Choose a guidebook from your local library—anything from basic birds to fungi to flowers. Look up plants or animals of interest along the trail. Again, this may be a stop and go endeavor, but it gets the kids out, moving, and in the fresh air. All of these positive elements reinforce the association of active, outdoor activities with fun and fulfillment.
Walking and talking: All ages. Sometimes a walk can be the perfect time to catch up, or even tackle some challenging issues. Candid talk can be enhanced be participating in an activity together, as your child may be more relaxed when they are active and feel less in the “spotlight.”
Katherine Hauswirth - Katherine Hauswirth works full time as a medical writer and publishes freelance creative nonfiction and poetry. Her topics of expertise ...
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