No matter the weather, taking a forest walk or a beach walk can be exhilarating. There is no doubt that the summer time is an amazing time for either walk, nothing beats that feeling of the warmth of the sun on your bones.
Second best to it is to take a walk in the middle of winter when you're all wrapped up in your winter woollies and you take a wander through a forest or across a beach. Nothing else compares to the crisp air, where the wind wraps itself around your face and your cheeks and nose are rosy red. Afterwards, as you sit down, hands cupped around a steaming cup of hot chocolate, how often have you thought that the winter walk was invigorating? Better than lounging on the couch any day.
That’s exactly the feeling that Dillon Lynch, our outdoor adventurer, wants you to experience in this week’s challenge. No matter the weather, you’re encouraged to go for a forest or beach walk.
Let’s look at the forest first. There are so many forests in Ireland that we are so lucky to have at least one in every county in the country. Forests are so exciting for children, they are immediately attracted to them because of their sense of adventure and natural curiosity. There is so much to do, see, touch and smell. They are different in every season and are just amazing places to walk.
You could simply just go for walk and explore a local woods. That in itself is a great way to get fresh air and exercise. But how about adding a bit more adventure to the walk?
Here are some extra activities that you can bring into your walk.
Bring a piece of paper
If you bring a piece of paper and some crayons, you can do some bark rubbing. Your child will see that every tree is different, their bark is different and every child loves to see their artwork exhibited on the fridge.
Take photos
Depending on the age of the children, get them to take photos of their favourite part of the forest walk. You’ll get to see the forest through their eyes. It’s a great way to chat about the forest together.
Hug a tree
Find a tree and hug it. Ask your children to describe how it feels. See if you can find a tree that is big enough for all of you to hold hands around it and complete the circle. Memories are made of moments like these.
Now that we’ve done the forest walk, it’s time to move onto the beach. Sometimes you simply want to walk on the beach and not paddle or swim in the sea. However, children may lose interest after a while of just walking on a beach. If you want to beat the boredom of a walk on the beach, here are some ideas to consider
Spell words
Get your children to spell their names out. Depending on the amount of time you have on the beach, they could use their finger, a stick or use shells and stones.
Play Xs and Os
Draw a large scale Xs and Os or Tic, tac, toe. Your children can use shells or pebbles for the placeholders. Bigger is better and much more fun.
Footprints in the sand
Get all the family to make footprints in the sand in a row, and write their names and year next to them. Take a photo with and without the family in it. This is a photo that will last a lifetime, even when the sea has taken away the footprint.
With both walks – forest and beach – always make sure to wear good walking shoes. You don’t want sore or tired feet on your walks. Always pack a picnic with snacks and water. All the running around and exploring works up quite the appetite.
More importantly, have fun in the outdoors. It’s right on our doorstep and is begging to be explored.
For more information, check out your Challenge Information Sheet. To get your cert at the end of your challenge, visit the TRTÉ website where you'll also find details of sporting organisations in your local area.
*All Dillon's challenges should take place within current Covid 19 Government guidelines.
