Our Regional Manager Heather shares some ideas on how to keep little ones engaged outdoors, be that exploring new areas or using lots of imagination there are lots of tips to help make outdoor time extra fun!
I am the mum of two nature loving boys who are outside pretty much every day of their lives.
My children are keen explorers who love finding creepy crawlies and stuffing their pockets full of treasure AKA litter, however, every now and again they love to humble me and remind me that they are only 2 and 4 year olds whose legs can’t possibly take one more step after only a few hundred metres into a route. I’m sure that you’ve been or will likely soon be in the same situation- the 1 km per hour pace comes to us all!
I’ve found that with a little bit of encouragement and a well-timed distraction a pause in walking doesn’t need to be the end of the adventure but instead can be time to rest, reset, and refuel before adding more sticks to the collection.
These are some of the things that have made our lives easier and ultimately more fun whilst exploring woodland, moorland, beach and a whole host of terrain in-between. Some of these can be done on the move whilst others provide a fun opportunity to stop and recharge your youngsters’ superpowers.
● Bring a toy vehicle.
Turn your child’s walk into a wonderful journey. Race cars or monster trucks through natural obstacle courses and watch how they move differently across varying terrains. Let your little one find new surfaces, ramps and slopes to make the walk more exciting.
Why not encourage them to create a story to narrate the vehicle’s trip?
● Chalk.
The ultimate temporary artwork! Pick an object to use as your still-life inspiration, leave a lovely note for the next person on the trail or practice your hopscotch moves.
There’s always something beautiful to spot outside, encourage your little one to point out something that wows them and get them to draw an arrow towards it so other people see it too!
● Go Find It cards.
These scavenger hunt cards are perfect for engaging your child with their surroundings and are available to purchase online or make your own!
You can make this one as easy or as hard as you like by pulling out 1, 2 or 3 cards (or more if you’re looking to make it into a super challenge!) and find the item that matches the cards.
Can your little one find the orange bumpy thing?
A word to the wise-just be ready for the “Yuck” card to be a hunt for that one thing you don’t want your toddler to step in!
● Geocaching.
Treasure. Who doesn’t love treasure? Download the free Geocaching App from your app store and search for hidden Tupperware boxes that usually have goodies such as stickers in them. This fun little pastime is great for excitable preschoolers who otherwise don’t want to risk losing their “cool dude” status by looking at a map. We’ve used this app up and down the UK and it’s been a hit every single time- I highly recommend giving it a go!
● Bubbles.
Adored by children, babies and sleep-deprived parents alike; there’s something magical about watching an opalescent bubble escaping the pop of your little one’s finger or float off along the breeze.
Refillable once you get home and generally inexpensive- a win/win.
● Rock Painting.
An idea I stole from a friend who’s lucky enough to live at the seaside and one I’m now passing on to you.
This will initially involve a test of strength and will as you’re roped in to help gather pebbles into a tiny sandcastle shaped bucket but ends up as your must-have when packing your beach day bag.
We enjoy looking at the shapes of the collected rocks to see what they resemble before painting them, maybe it’s an ice cream? Maybe it’s a ladybird? Let your imaginations go wild!
● Treasure Hunt box or bag.
I like to set a theme for our treasure hunts to try and bring a little bit of purpose or education into them but it’s also quite sweet to see what they choose without any guidance if you’d rather not set any rules. A few of the themes I’ve done in the past are; opposites- for example picking something soft then something hard, colours, size and numbers.
The great thing about this is that you can have a little bit of control over how much they collect by being strategic about the size of the box or bag that you bring.... I won’t tell them if you won’t!
● Watering can or water sprayer.
One that I forget about every year until a heatwave and only good to bring on waterside walks. Caution- ignore this one if you don’t like getting squirted or having water poured down your leg.
Small water sprays and cans can be found in most supermarkets from late spring until the end of the summer and provide giggles galore on any adventure.
Create targets out of rocks, draw water pictures on the path and leave small puddles in fallen trees for the birds.
● Picnic blanket
Recently we took the plunge and bought a PACMAT picnic blanket by Rubbastuff and the only word I have for is this: Impressive!
We browsed the website and decided on the Nature Trail one which is just perfect for us as we are never too far away from the woodland creatures and items that it features. We loved the suggestion they give on the website of throwing a stone onto the picnic blanket and setting out to find the item that it lands on.
Light, machine washable, waterproof and interactive to boot.
Use the discount code 15BLAZE25 for 15% off across the range at RubbaStuff.
● Bird call identification app (and bird seed!)
My youngest child has a very well-practiced favourite question- “what’s that?”
The Merlin Bird ID app from the app store has informed me on way too many occasions that yet again it’s a Willow Warbler. This is a brilliant app that uses the sound of the bird to identify it as well as providing an image of the bird so you know what to look for.
This app brings our family not only closer to nature but improves our knowledge of the local area’s birds. We’re starting to become known for always having a supply of bird seed in the car!
Try it out- I’m yet to meet a child that hasn’t gained pleasure from selecting the greatest place to sprinkle bird seed whilst practicing their bird calls!
● Find a stick!
A simple stick might not be what it first seems!
Have your little one select a stick during your walk and imagine it to be a magic wand to fight off dragons with, a fishing rod to catch make-believe ocean creatures with, a telescope for your pirate adventures, a trusty sword fit for a knight, a drumstick when you join a band (cue my 4 year old singing “All I Wanted by Paramore on repeat), a mud-paintbrush to decorate the trees with...
The possibilities are truly endless!
● Snacks and more snacks
The one thing that is make or break on a walk is making sure that you’ve packed allll the snacks that you can carry.
Little ones who keep their energy stores high tend to be happier to be outside for longer, travel further and regulate their body temperatures better.
If all else fails, they’ll follow the caterpillar sweets or breadsticks back to the car.
Note: can also be used as a form of bribery or as a prize for winning the race back.
Some more ideas you can try:
Pocket Kite
Doll and pushchair or doll sling
Homemade slingshot
Cloud Gazing
Making nature bracelets
Colour hunt
I hope you've enjoyed this peek into our exciting adventures and that you'll try some of these ideas on your own explorations and Blaze Trails walks. If you do, we’d love to hear your thoughts!
