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Hike it Baby’s Winter Walk with Wox is in full swing! The challenge is for everyone to spend 10 minutes walking outside every day for the month of February. You can find more information here. And while this list isn’t limited to walking-specific activities, almost all of them include some element of moving your body for 10 minutes outside.
The best part is that getting outside for 10 minutes every day is really easy to do! You don’t even need to leave your neighborhood or even your backyard. Plus, getting outside 10 minutes a day is such a great way to begin forming healthy habits for yourself and your children! There are so many ways to complete this challenge, but to help you out here are 15 ways to get outside for 10 minutes.
GO FOR A WALK AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
This is an easy one to do in 10 minutes! Simply meander around your neighborhood and take in all the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of the nature around you. Weeds growing through sidewalk cracks, clouds, falling snow, and potted plants absolutely count.
ADD IN SOME WHEELS
While walking is always a good time, change it up by taking the same route on wheels. Ride bikes, scooters, or skateboards around your neighborhood (or chase your children while they ride), and bust out the stroller and take your littlest out for a ride too.
BLOW BUBBLES
Getting outside doesn’t mean you have to leave your yard or even your patio. Spend 10 minutes blowing bubbles together and enjoy the time connecting with your children.
GO TO A PLAYGROUND
Do your kids have a favorite playground? Stop on the way home from school and spend 10 minutes getting some of that pent-up school energy! Or if you don’t have a favorite, try a new to you playground!
PLAY FOLLOW THE LEADERS
This is a game that is silly and fun for all ages. It also will help warm up those bodies on a cold day and help make those 10 minutes outside fly by.
DO A SCAVENGER HUNT
Need to add a little fun to your neighborhood walks or backyard play? There are a ton of free nature scavenger hunts available online, but it is also super simple to just draw/write a list of 5-10 items you know your children will find in your backyard or neighborhood. Have them take this list outside and let them enjoy the hunt!
GO FOR A TRASH WALK
Spending 10 minutes cleaning up your neighborhood or local park is an amazing way to give back. If you did this once a week, imagine how much trash you will pick up and how grateful mother nature and the wildlife that call the area home will be!
HIKE A TRAIL
Ok, hiking almost always takes longer than 10 minutes (especially when you add in travel time). But maybe there is a super short trail you’ve never done because it seemed too short (think 1/4 mile or less) or maybe you want to spend more than 10 minutes outside. Going for a short hike is a great way to spend time outside and this list wouldn’t be complete without a hiking suggestion.
READ A BOOK TOGETHER
Here is another quick and easy way to get outside without even leaving your yard or patio. Lay down a blanket and enjoy a short story or two together. If it is really cold, pile on the blankets, read a book about summer and imagine it is hot out. You could also read the book while moving your bodies.
HAVE A MEAL OR SNACK OUTSIDE
Even in the cold winter weather, eating outside can be fun! If it is really cold bring soup or hot chocolate to enjoy together.
PLAY A GAME TOGETHER
Getting outside when it is cold is hard. To help you keep warm, consider playing a quick game of tag, Simon Says, catch, red light green light, or any other game where your bodies are moving and having fun.
GET ARTSY
There are so many ways to create art outside. Spend 10 minutes painting rocks, drawing with sidewalk chalk, painting snow, or using nature items to create pictures.
LOOK TO THE SKY
Sit in chairs or lie on your backs and stare at the sky. Watch the clouds pass by and see if you can find any images in them. Can’t get outside until later in the day? No worries, one of the best things about Winter is that it gets dark earlier and even young children can enjoy searching the night sky for constellations.
ENJOY THE WORLD AT AFTER DARK
Speaking of getting dark earlier, take this opportunity to explore your neighborhood at night. Bring flashlights and simply walk around your block enjoying the way the houses, cars, trees, etc. look different once the sun goes down.
GO FOR A NATURE HEART WALK
Hearts are literally all over the place in nature. Once you start looking you will see them everywhere. Spend 10 minutes in your neighborhood or local park hunting for nature hearts! Common nature hearts can be found in leaf shapes, tree bark, lichen, clouds, rocks, sidewalk cracks, city art (both commissioned and otherwise), and so much more
“NATURE IS GOOD FOR ALL OF US. WHEN WE’RE EXPOSED TO TREES AND OTHER NATURAL SETTINGS – EVEN WITHIN THE CITY, IT FOSTERS CREATIVITY.” – DAVID LIVERMORE
