Fun Things to Do on a Walk With Your Kids

Vanessa M.:  Paint kindness rocks and hide them around your neighborhood or a local nature trail!

Shila:  Become a nature photographer! Kids love to take pictures and you'd be surprised to see what outdoor items actually inspire them! If you're willing, allow your kids to use your digital camera phone to capture their shots. Or, purchase a disposable one.

Shila:  Draw funny messages, write words of encouragement, draw hop scotch squares for your neighbors and fellow walkers, etc. Keep a bucket of chalk out and encourage them to write something back.

Shila:  You'll need to prep ahead for this one - write a checklist of items to search and discover. Simple items to find could include: a bird's nest, an Oak tree, fire hydrant, a squirrel, etc.

Shila:  Take turns with "I spy with my eye"... and encourage your kids to guess what it is.

Shila:  Bring a plastic bag in your back pocket. If you discover a piece of litter, try to safely grab and dispose of it. This hands-on lesson can help kids learn more about protecting our environment.

Shila:  Think of something - anything! Your peers have 20 yes or no questions to guess what it could be.

Shila:  Can you whistle? Play "name that tune" with catchy songs, and test if you're truly on-key or not!

Shila:  Pick a letter, then pick any category like "girl names" or "adjectives." Then go down the alphabet together A-Z and identify an associated word to that category. I.e., Girl Names: "Annie, Betty, Carol, Dana..." etc.; Adjectives: "Amazing, Brave, Courteous, Daring..." etc.

Shila:  Come up with a few obstacle challenge course rules to follow for fun. For example, "step on a crack; break your mama's back!" It's an easy way to spice up a casual stroll around the neighborhood.

Shila:  Who's that following you? Stop for a moment, stand still, and outline your child's shadow in chalk!

Shila:  Check with your local municipal to see if you (or the neighborhood) would like to host a Little Free Library. You can obtain official building kits online. Leave a book, take a book!

Shila:  Collect leaves for easy art or science projects at home. Can you challenge yourself to find all the colors of the rainbow?

Shila:  Speed up the pace with a friendly race. A little competition can be fun. Last one home is a rotten egg!

Shila:  Challenge yourselves to learning and repeating short tongue twisters. For example, "she sells sea shells by the seashore!"