Family walks from your front door

Walks from your front door can be exciting – here are a few ideas you could use to entertain all ages on a family walk.

You don’t need to walk in a park or nature reserve to see nature and gain the benefits of being outdoors. You might be surprised at what you can find if you look closely at some of the details in the nature around you.

Scavenger Hunt

Search for a natural object to cover every letter of the alphabet or every colour of the rainbow. Can you find a feather, something that has been nibbled by an animal, or a stone that’s shaped like a heart? You can make your own list before you leave home or take it in turns to decide what you will find.

Make some natural art

Collect natural objects such as stones, leaves and feathers from the ground as you walk along (but don’t pick anything that’s growing). Then find a clear spot, set back from the path where you can make a piece of art for others to enjoy as they pass by. You could try to make a picture of your favourite animal or just make a pretty pattern. Maybe next time you walk past, someone else will have added to your art gallery with their own picture.

Use your senses

Think of a word that can be used to describe an object, like heavy, smooth, bumpy, or tickly, then see if you can find a natural object on your walk that matches that word.Take it in turns to count with your senses and list 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear and 2 things you can smell. You could bring along a piece of fruit or small snack with you on your walk for 1 thing you can taste. 

Puddle jumping and mud squelching

Take advantage of our seasonal weather, wrap up in waterproofs and head out on a walk after the rain in search of some puddles and mud and have fun splashing and squelching through it. See who can make the loudest noises or the biggest splash, or try to creep across it without making any splashes or ripples at all. Can you float a leaf on a puddle – maybe you could make a boat with a sail and see how far it can travel. 

To the park

Picnic in the Parks has many more activities for you to enjoy. Head back to map and explore the other zones.