How do you motivate kids while hiking?

Exploring and observing: pretending to be a budding detective can be an excellent way to motivate children to set off on a hike. However, to pique their curiosity, it’s vital that you help them to observe the interesting objects surrounding them. To do this, you need some basic knowledge about the natural environment around you. So first stock up on anecdotes and surprising facts about the “little” creatures that you may meet along the way.

There’s an array of resources on this, either in the library or online. For example, you can have a look through a nature-inspired magazine which has a special edition for children. Out in the field, you can go in search of all kinds of animals and bugs, and trace back to these specimens. That said, the exploration is always more interesting when it ends with a tangible observation. To prevent the disappointment of finding nothing while trying to track down a mountain goat or other four-legged mammal, insects are an excellent compromise.

Easily observable, they often offer unsuspecting treasures. Let’s take ants, for example. The way they structure their society, their habitat and their abilities could amaze your children. Learning that they possess superhero strength and that their home, an anthill, is a lot more organised than just a pile of the haphazard twigs you see can make the search for these insects exciting.

With this little tip, the hike turns into a captivating intrigue. It is broken up by breaks to observe and explore, which may take up a bit of time, but this could be a source of immense joy for children. They’re sure to ask for another getaway in the great outdoors, eager to continue their sports adventures, while turning themselves into budding detectives.

Land art, Wild painting, and more... does that ring a bell? At the crossroads between an outing and an artist’s workshop. A hike that includes Land Art or Wild Painting sessions can motivate children to go hiking. These activities allow you to transform each outing into a creative adventure, while also adding a reason to walk and explore nature.

Land Art involves using natural elements (preferably already dead or dropped, to prevent picking the surrounding vegetation) to create a scene. This allows us to construct, on the ground, a whimsical work from twigs, rocks, branches or any other object encountered along the way. This process becomes a little game for our little ones, who set out to discover everything they may need to express their imagination during the lunch break. By including Land Art into your outing, you’re helping your children to gain confidence in their creative abilities, while also getting them to practice a sports activity at the same time.

Wild Painting involves creating a drawing on a blank leaf, using pigments you can find out in nature. Leaves, petals, earth, wood become colouring pencils. This sports adventure encourages children to walk along paths, like explorers, in search of the right colours that will allow them to create the drawing of their choice. This takes some time, but it’s time your children spend understanding the richness living in their surroundings, while having fun.

These art practices serve to bolster children’s inner motivation to practice a sport, as they offer the opportunity to achieve something tangible. Having fun while doing it is key: it’s a case of creating positive memories and associating the hike with happy moments. By setting creative goals along your hiking route, you can keep children motivated and encourage them to explore more.