by Melinda Myers
Holidays are filled with lots of food, presents, and busy schedules. A walk in nature is a great way to burn calories, combat stress, and improve your health and well-being and a nice way to start the New Year.
Getting everyone excited about going outside and moving can be a challenge. Adding some activities to the walk is a way to encourage the whole family to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the season.
Grab some paper and crayons and create bark rubbings of your favorite trees. Select a variety of trees with smooth, rough, or peeling bark. Use these as a backdrop for a favorite photo or homemade thank-you notes.
Bingo hiking is a fun way to help everyone enjoy the outdoors. Have each person draw a picture of something they think they’ll find on the hike. Draw one picture per square just like bingo. The first one to fill a row up and down, across, or diagonally wins a warm beverage.
You have probably played “Eye Spy” while on long road trips. The next game is a variation of the latter and uses a camera and closeup images of items found along the trail. Send someone ahead of the group to capture a closeup of a leaf, rock, log, mushroom, or other item. It should be super close, so the others will have difficulty identifying it. Once the group reaches the photographer, have them identify the area where the item can be found. It will keep people involved and encourage everyone to take a closer look at the beauty of their surroundings. Plus, you might just end up with some beautiful pictures to share or frame.
Consider sending everyone on a search for certain items. Perhaps it’s various items of a certain color. Or use the alphabet as a guide. First, have them find something that starts with an A, then a B, and so on. See if you can repeat all the items from A to Z once you find all 26. It’s a great way to help youngsters learn the alphabet and an excellent memory exercise for any age.
Create a little winter outdoor art. Use sidewalk chalk to dress up your snow-free walks and drives. Add a few drops of food coloring to a bottle of water and paint the snow. You’ll enjoy the changes in your artwork as the rain and snow morph the design over time.
Learn more about the trees in your community. Have one person call out the name and a description of a tree to find. Once they provide this information, the others need to locate a specimen and, if possible, give it a hug. You will be amazed at the impact felt when embracing a tree. This might be a fun way to find trees to use for your bark rubs or create a list of all the trees and clues learned along the way.
You might find that everyone is more willing to walk outside when adding these and other activities. After becoming more aware of their surroundings, they may even opt for a quiet walk in the woods.
Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, Revised Edition, and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
