My 4 yr old is a good walker, every morning makes me walk the dog to nursery rather than go in the car! Its good for them to walk as these days a lot of kids hate walking anywhere! We are not as fit as we used to be, but he will do 4 ish miles with out moaning.
Catbells is on my list of to do's, my fav campsite looks over it (Keswick) little un was too young on our last visit to go walking, next time we go definitely doing it
It was many years ago now when we took our children for a walk round Bewl Bridge Reservoir (approx. 15 miles all round). They were about 5 and 6. Darren the eldest told his teacher and we don't think she believed him. A few weeks later they took part in the rotary ramble which is held yearly in Ashford, Kent and this time he got a certificate which he showed to his teacher that he had walked 15 miles. They carried on doing it for about 4 years.
Some children just can't walk far because their parents take the car everywhere but we have always encouraged ours to enjoy the countryside. We now have a little grandson of 15 months living with us. Whenever is parents take him into town they encourage him to walk - with reins on. He spends all day walking round the house and I am sure that must add up to a fair bit!!!
Quote: Originally posted by star1234 on 13/3/2009
Hiya I have a 5 year old son, his uncle & granda are walkers and are determined to start taking him out walking now he has got a bit older.
I agree it's good to start him walking now - but the 'determined' bit worries me a little. He may not actually take to walking, children do not necessarily like doing the things we do .....
I often used to grumble about aching legs, cold, wet etc when walking with my Dad, but he used to make it so interesting that we always wanted to go next time. He used to upturn stones to see the insects, name all the trees, tell us stories based around where we were walking, we learnt all about the greek myths, Aesop's Fables, the stars, life, and our walks were mainly in suburbia - but we never noticed!
You have to build in some sort of a game. My Dad always took the binoculars to see the birds/rabbits. There was usually a castle to attack or a cave to explore or a boat to go on in search of pirates. Looking for Gruffalos in the woods is a good one (get that book if you have not got it) Action Man hide & seek is a favourite with my son at the moment. Camouflage clothes makes this a tricky game, but we haven't lost one yet!
Get him his own set of children's binoculars and maybe a little rucksack to carry his snack. We get ours out walking as much as we can, sometimes there are initial moans but as soon as we start, we don't hear a squeak of a complaint. We call it going on an 'explore' or and 'adventure' and often give them a list of things to find and collect or spot on their way - something beginning with a 'p', 5 different types of leaves, a yellow flower, a smooth stone etc etc. It also helps if the paths are twisting and they can't see too far ahead of them, motivating them to cross a huge flat field with the same view all the way across can get tricky!
------------- Angie ~~
~ If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours ~
There was a tree in the woods near here where the bark had somehow disappeared from trunk in the shape of a low arched door. Someone had screwed a small brass handle to this 'door' and the children used to think it was where the fairies lived. Kids loved walking to the tree until some killjoy stole the handle.
If it's fairies in the woods you are after, then you need to go to Bewilderwood in Norfolk. loads of trees done like that. Brilliant place. Another fantastic spot is the Forbidden Corner in Yorkshire. It is my son's favourite day out. A huge maze like garden with underground tunnels. I can't describe it well enough. Make it a camping trip - you'll not be disappointed! (I think this could be a new thread!)
Quote: Originally posted by arthurdent on 26/3/2009
Quote: Originally posted by star1234 on 13/3/2009
Hiya I have a 5 year old son, his uncle & granda are walkers and are determined to start taking him out walking now he has got a bit older.
I agree it's good to start him walking now - but the 'determined' bit worries me a little. He may not actually take to walking, children do not necessarily like doing the things we do .....
Hiya we already do a fair amount of walking back and forward to school and at weekends we do go out and about, what I meant was they want to take it a step further now and start him 'proper' walking as opposed to the local nature trail! We are all going away at Easter (Pitlochry) together so it seemed like an ideal time to start, just me being overprotective as usual and if worst came to worst he would get a coalcarry!
------------- Elaine
Easter Southerness
Jubilee TBA-
July - Blue Dolphin
Quote: Originally posted by Romaway on 27/3/2009
Steve, Thanks for those links. Have bookmarked them to check out when we take our grandson up to that area. Looks great.
You're welcome. Here is another - the Crocky Trail in Cheshire. Haven't been myself but it is a firm favourite with my son & his Grandparents. Take some spare clothes, they will get muddy!
Our children are happy to go on a walk as long as it has some scrambling to do. They prefer short(2-3 miles) strenuous to (5+ miles) long easy walks.
We also don't call it a walk, we call it an adventure or picnic walk and try to give them things to spot. We also spend some time on the walk negotiating what grade certificate they should get at the end. Bronze being easy with good weather, and gold being strenuous with poor weather.
The certificate is then made and awarded after the walk.
Both of my daugthers walk really well (7 and 4), I agree with the make it interesting theme, though. They both have their own boots, sticks and 'interesting bags', into which they can put anything they find on the way, hanging off the belts of the bags are compasses, torches, notebooks, pens, magnifying glasses and such like. It's amazing what little bits you can get in Wilkinsons. If we know there's going to be a particularly hard/dull bit, we also have a 'summit' box, it must not be opened until you've achieved your goal, you can put anything in it - the girls love mint cake.
I love the certificates - that's going in my 'portfolio'.
We've been walking with ours regularly, now 5 and 3. Our dd climbed coniston old man when she had just turned3 and ds was 4. Neither of them moaned and climbed up on their own and had carry on some of the way down. They have little ruck sacks each for things they find and we have "sweetie breaks" along the way. We take a picnic and go at their speed, they love it. We climbed to Latterbarrow monument near Hawkshead last weekend and ds ran most of way up lol.
Took my son walking at about 4 he's six in a months time and he polishes off the high ridge at Dovestones(Saddleworth moors) approx 7/8 miles with a bit of scrambling and Kinder scout.
I dont get him to carry anything(no excuses then) and have regular pitstops and at least one stop for hot food(boil in the bag type stuff cooked ourselves, adds to the fun).
I try to teach him anything I know about things we pass and try to go at his pace as often as possble(stop him charging round at the start of the walk).
Keeping thier attention and diverting it away from boredom is the key, I'm lucky as he's very much an outdoors kid.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: 5yr old - walking how far
rather than go in the car! Its good for them to walk as these days a lot of kids hate walking anywhere! We are not as fit as we used to be, but he will do 4 ish miles with out moaning. 
