How to Spice Up Your Family Walks

September 13, 2020

Walking has become a go-to activity for families in recent months. Not only does it offer a chance to get out of the house for a while, it’s a good way to burn off some energy and hopefully make bedtime a little easier. Still, those daily family walks may need spicing up after all these months. While the Stonebridge at Meridian Ranch homes in Peyton CO have 10 miles of trails and open areas with amazing views of Pikes Peak to enjoy, here are some tips for adding to the fun of your daily walk so that it becomes something everyone looks forward to each day.

Everyone has a camera on their phone these days, but if you still have some old stand-alone digital cameras lying around, you may want to pull those out and let the kids start taking photos along the way. Teach them some basic lessons about framing or zooming in and encourage them to be creative with their photos, rather than just a straight snap. Even if you don’t have separate cameras, encourage the kids to take thoughtful, creative photos along the way, looking at the neighborhood in a new way. You could even create a photo book at the end of the year to have a fun way of remembering your outings.

With so many extensive trails, consider getting your kids — and yourself — interested in learning more about the local flora and fauna. As always, there’s an app for that. Download the Audubon bird identification app and the PlantSnap app to help you recognize the beautiful nature around you. You may also want to supplement the apps with some books on local plant and animal species. It’s always fun when you can suddenly recognize and put a name to something you see every day.

With 10 miles of trails at Stonebridge at Meridian Ranch, you may not be short of places to go, but do consider mixing up some of your routes if possible. Alternatively, why not explore other trails or parks, just for something new. You don’t have to stick to nature walks, either. Consider an urban walk around a downtown area for something different.

With the sun starting to set earlier, if your kids are old enough, consider going for a walk at night and try looking for some constellations. For fun and safety, let everyone choose some fun lights and reflective gear, even using reflective tape to create fun patterns on clothing. Glow sticks, attachable bike lights, and more can add a light-hearted vibe to the walk.

As the holidays approach — or just as something nice to do any day of the week — bake some cookies or make some homemade cards to deliver to neighbors along your route. Leave these simple but thoughtful gifts on the doorstep, ring the bell, and stand back as the neighbors delight in a kind and thoughtful gift.

Finally, there’s no reason why you have to stick purely to foot power. If you have bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc., let everyone choose their mode of wheeled transportation and head out together for a different experience. Shake things up and switch rides along the way if you have multiple options.

These are just a handful of ways to spice up your daily walks. By adding something different to them, it gets everyone in the family more interested and perhaps leads to new conversations or simply more conversations if you have reticent teens. Make the most of living in one of the Stonebridge at Meridian Ranch homes in Peyton CO, where you can take advantage of trails, a rec center, the Lodge, and so much more. No matter the weather, there are plenty of ways for the whole family to stay active together, all just steps from your front door.

Categorized in: How to Spice Up Your Family Walks

This post was written by Creekstone Homes