Encouraging children to go on walks - any tips?

[halster]

Have just got back from another walk with the kids - as per usual there was much moaning, wingeing, tears, cries of "my legs are tired". We did not go far at all. They are 3 and 6, I understand that the 3 year old will get tired easily, but the 6 year old? I would love to take them on lovely country walks regulary but it is so stressful!! I try to make the walks as interesting as possible. And bribing them doesn't work either.

Do your kids happily go for walks? What is your secret?
My MIL maintains that my dh walked the Pennine Way when he was 4 (carrying his clothes in a rucksack).

get a dog?

How long was your walk? maybe it was not the walking as such but the time of the day?

Play games as you go - get them to look for things as they go. That worked with ds when he was younger (4). Now he is 5.5 I find the competitive thing works - I can work further/faster than you.

I am so with you on this one. My 8 year old and 5 year old boys moan moan moan. Dh just took them to the park against their will with lots of moaning.

All my friends kids seem to be able to walk for miles. I think it realy restricts us and would like to build up the amount they walk. I don't have the solution though!

Ahh I know this feeling well . I find 2 things help, firstly if you can get friends to come along with similarly aged kids that will help them walk further than they think they are purely through the runninag about they do together - although dont go with the family that are much better walkers than you as we did once as that just gets them all annoyed and more trouble

Also the walk needs to have some end goal ideally - for example - after we get to X we will go to that cafe for hot chocolate or we will be at that park and can play football. The weather at this time of year does not help but plenty of encoragement and warm layers do

Its also worth checking local ramblers and council sites for details of family orientated walks The group method often helps as other adults will talk to and encourage your kids, giving you a tiny break from the wingeing

Oh and for the 6yo try gadgets! My DD always goes further with pedometer or camera or walking stick (get them to "find" one in woodlands ) or binoculars!!

good luck

You are right cat64, "going for a walk" is rather negatively loaded for a kid. Shall get more creative with my descriptions.

Shall try and do more games too Mollie.

Great tips dobby!

This site here is good for downloading free nature sheets and things to use on walks. You can also join the club for £20 a year for 2 or more children.

IlanaK - it is very restricting isn't it? We were at a friends the other day and she asked if we wanted to join them on a 6 mile walk - yeah, there is more chance of us all flying to the moon.

really make sure you kit them out so they are dressed right: i.e. can move freely but are not going to get cold and wet!

give the walk a point: let's go to those great trees for climbing is a favourite here, or lets go and run down that hill loads of times is another.

once you have one good walking experience others will follow. v important to avoid negative ones!

We go geocaching and dd happily goes for walks thatare several hours long. She will now also walk without the promise of treasure at then end, today we hae walked up Hambledon Hill and she loved it, ran up and down countless times. Having a dog helps.

We found a website with simple walks that have photo guides and put dd in charge of navigation, she loves that,

we make up lots of stupid stupid rhymes

like (we did a few today)

that man over there
he's got brown hair
bet his name's Pete
and he lives in Fleet

everyone does one line each and they do tend to get more and more silly as the walks go on

tthe dcs also have an imaginary friend called BobSteveDaveBernard who is often out with us causing mayhem

we don't start any of these tactics till either the dcs mention them or it's clear they are flagging

ds always brings a ball and if dd had her way (and we're on a path), she brings her bike. They would far rather cycle than walk I think!

Like cat's idea of not calling them walks!

Great advice here, thanks all - I am feeling all hopeful now. Shall be striking out in the morning!

That website looks greatMrsMorgan thanks.

Another vote for geocaching What could be more fun than going on a treasure hunt?

I remember being a moany walker as a child... but we had to go every weekend for a walk, and it did include climbing trees, and maybe a visit to the odd castle/national park.
Does anyone know where the nearest place for a good walk is from east central London? I've recently bought a car but I don't know if its worth trying to walk anywhere with 2 yr old DS.

"it is very restricting isn't it? We were at a friends the other day and she asked if we wanted to join them on a 6 mile walk - yeah, there is more chance of us all flying to the moon"

Exactly! We have often been in that exact situation and it is very embarrassing.

We are due to go to Deven in April/May to a coastal area that has nothing to do except lovely long walks. And we are carless. I just KNOW the kids will resist.

Maybe if I start now and build up slowly, they will be ok then.

The promise of a pub lunch helps as well.

Geocaching - v interesting! Is it high-tech orienteering? I loved that as a child.

Dog - number one best walk accessory

Bike - DD on bike and me on foot is a good speed combination, she shoots ahead then can rest while I catch up (towed by above mentioned dog - suggest not a husky-alsatian cross for a calm walking experience)

Roller blades - we have a good hard surfaced path by the river, the suggestion "shall we go out roller-blading" is far, far more exciting than "shall we go for a walk". Needless to say, I stay safely on foot.

IlanaK - get them in training!

Useful info here

Yes I suppose it is, you can buy a hand held gps device for about £80, this is the one we have

There is also an app on the iphone.

That geocache website looks great. My kids would really go for that. I have a gps in my phone (we no longer have a car), but I just looked for it and it is in storage (we are living with my mum for a few months)

I am gutted.