05/05/2020
Creating your own nature trail is a great way to add some extra fun to a family walk. You can do one in your local woods, park, or even in your back garden. Simply follow our top tips for a memorable day out together.
This activity requires a little forward planning, so you’ll need to visit the area where you’ll be doing your trail to decide on a route. Older children might like to get involved in this bit and help plan a trail for younger siblings. Make a note of the paths you choose and hunt for interesting things to include in your trail. Here are a few things you could look out for:
Draw a map of the trail to help your family find their way around it. Mark on it the things they need to look out for, such as a fallen tree, a patch of wildflowers, or a bridge over a winding stream. You could even add some fun facts about the things they’ll see along the way.
Make a copy of the map for each member of your family. You could even make a trail pack, including instructions, pencils or a magnifying glass.
If you have some smaller kids on your trail, it might help to make arrows with sticks on the ground for them to follow.
A prize at the end of the trail is a nice way to wrap it up and helps encourage little ones to get to the finish.
All that’s left is to follow the trail. Kids will love exploring new spaces and finding the weird and wonderful stops along the way. Bring along a picnic to round off a lovely family day out.