Walking Activities for Kids

As any parent will tell you, kids are moving all the time. Nature has programmed kids to move, but many of them are not moving because they are stuck in front of the television, the Computer, and Computer games. This is where parenting comes in, because you, the parent or grandparent, can foster children's exercise.

Walking Activities for Kids

 

Walking Activities for Kids

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Walking Activities for Kids

Walking Activities for Kids

Kids should wear sturdy shoes and comfy socks without holes. (Leave the flip-flops at home.) They should also wear caps or hats to protect them from the sun and sunscreen. Do some stretching exercises with your kids beforehand. Give each child his or her own water bottle and pedoMeter. Measure each child's stride before you start these walking activities.

Some activities are appropriate for backyard fun, while others get your kids out into the community. Fitness is a family affAir, so walk with your kids. You will be amazed at the discoveries you make and the things you learn about each other. Now tie those shoelaces, tie a sweater around your waist, and get going!

COUNT THE BIRDS. Young kids count the number of birds they see during the walk. Older kids and adults identify the birds by name. Read about the birds in a bird book when you get home.

COLOR SEARCH. During the walk kids look for one color, such as red. Anything they see that is that is this color, such as a car, stop sign, and a red jacket, counts as one point. Who saw the most things?

BABY STEPS. Place two plastic ice cream buckets on the sidewalk or in the yard. Using baby steps - touching the heel of one foot to the toes of the other - kids walk between the buckets.

LONGEST STRIDE. Place two plastic ice cream buckets on the sidewalk or in the yard. Using their longest stride, kids walk from the first bucket to the second.

BACKWARD BOUNCE. Place two plastic ice cream buckets on the sidewalk or in the yard. One bucket is the starting "line" and the other bucket is the finish "line." Kids walk backwards from start to finish.

AROUND THE TOWN. Using poster board or grocery store boxes, make location signs for your community: city hall, library, school, recreation center, movie theater, baseball field, and similar locations. Number the signs and arrange them in a circle. Kids start at number one and walk round the town. How many steps did each child take?

SPEED WALKING. Each child wears a pedoMeter as his or her waist. At the sound of go, kids walk as Fast as they can across the playground or a field. Who took the most steps? Who took the least?

RUN-WALK RACE. Repeat the speed walking activity, only this time the kids run 10 steps and walk 10 steps.

STEP AND SLIDE. Repeat the speed walking activity, only this time the kids step with their feet, slide their right feet up to the left, and continue walking this way until they have crossed the playground or field.

Don't let your kids become couch potatoes. Get them off the couch and keep them moving. Keep yourself moving, too. Everyone in the family can walk the fitness trail to better health and a better life.

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson

Walking Activities for Kids