7 ways to get your kids out for a winter walk

Family winter walk — Enjoy a refreshing walk on the commons

The difference between an indoors-all-morning child and the same one after a walk is immense. It’s the reason we conquer our qualms about bundling up to get out of the door. It’s why we embrace the pile of muddy clothes to wash when we return. And it’s why the National Trust is such a blessing at this time of year.

A child who has run around in the fresh air is so much nicer to be around. And if it’s in a beautiful place then we’re happy too. But persuading a child away from a screen in a cosy room into the cold outdoors for a walk can be tricky. Here are a few tips:

1. Call it a welly walk (or a rain walk if they’re welly-averse.)

What you call your walk makes a difference. Think about how ‘little trees’ served us well with broccoli. It could be a ‘parachute walk’ if it’s windy. You can all hold your coat tails up in the air to make a parachute to catch the wind. Try to make a virtue of the negatives. ‘Cold? Yay! It means we can wear our scarf and gloves.’

Family at the Natural Play Trail at Box Hill, Surrey

Family walks in the South East

Create special memories on one of our trails where you’ll find areas of interest for both big kids and little ones. Let your imagination run wild in the story telling chairs at Sheffield Park or come face to face with a woodland wizard at Hatchlands Park.

2. Look for animal tracks

Mud is great for stomping through in wellies to make footprints. Before you wade in though, check to see who has been there before you. It could be a duck, deer or dinosaur. OK, maybe not the latter, but you could always make your own dinosaur footprints.

Otter tracks in the mud — Will you spot otter tracks?

3. Construct an obstacle course

Suggest a simple walk from A to B and your head will hurt from the whining. Suggest an obstacle course in a woodland and your ears will hurt from the cries of glee. Use logs as balance beams, trees as slaloms and sticks laid on the ground to hop over.

4.Take binoculars

Winter is a great time for birdwatching. Birds are so much more visible without leaves on trees to conceal them. Take a spotter guide and tick off the birds you manage to spot and tick off one of your 50 things to do before you're 11 ¾.

Children watching a heron in the water garden at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire

No. 44 watch a bird

To be a successful bird watcher, you'll need to be as quiet as a mouse while you keep a look out for our feathered friends. What will you spot?

5. Borrow a dog

It doesn’t work if it’s your own. Dog-walking soon loses its appeal if it’s a daily occurrence. Borrow someone else’s though, and it turns into a treat. The novelty and responsibility of holding the lead is a huge thrill to children.

Dog friendly walks in the South East

Share a wander in the great outdoors with your four-legged friends. Encounter wagging tails on woodland trails or padding paws in wide open parkland. Keep things fresh with a wide variety of trails ready to welcome you and your happy hound.

6. Make it a scavenger hunt

Set out on a walk with a list of items for the child to find. The obvious things are acorns, twigs, beetles or woodlice, beech mast, conkers, crisp brown leaf, forked stick. Who doesn’t love the satisfaction of ticking things off a list?

Family walking through a woodland at a National Trust site — Enjoy a wintery walk

7.Litter pick

Buy a cheap litter picker tool off the internet. Kids love them. They can see the point of going out litter picking and gives them things to find. And there’s a marvellous halo effect. We can see yours shining already.