1. Make Walking With Children Important
Children and walking may not seem like a natural partnership, but walking with your children is a great way to talk to them about their day without phones, email and chores getting in the way. It's also a fantastic way for both you and your children to get some exercise. Doctors now highly stress the importance of exercise for children and adults. Exercise fights obesity, which is on the rise in children, fights depression and improves general health.
2. Tips for Walking With Children
Make sure children are dressed for any weather, or you'll hear about how hot or cold they are. Make sure they wear sunblock and comfortable shoes. Carry water and snacks if going for a long walk and consider bringing a jacket or sweater. If actually going hiking, encourage children to bring a backpack full of goodies, crayons and paper. If children are old enough, encourage roller skates, roller blades or scooters to make walking more exciting.
3. Make Walking Fun
Some children view walking as a chore--especially if you do. Make sure you're excited about walking too. Give children a pedometer so they can see how many steps they take. Make walking a game. Do counting exercises, have children pick flowers or see how many interesting rocks they can find. Go walking at a nature preserve and give children nature guides or maps. If needed, consider offering rewards for children who really don't want to walk. Create a chart and give them a sticker for each day they go for a walk, and give them a prize once they hit a certain amount of walks.
4. Remember Safety
Teach children the importance of safety when walking. Have them stop at stop signs, even if there are no cars around. Teach them what the road signs look like. Tell children not to step off sidewalks and to look both ways before going into a street. Children do love to run ahead of adults, so decide how far you'll let them run ahead and where they need to stop and wait for you. Consider carrying a whistle to blow to let your children know they're doing something unsafe. Punish children quickly if they break safety rules; while it may seem mean, they need to learn to never, ever break safety rules.
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