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 Take
a Break in Nature
By Melinda Myers
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[December 28, 2024]
Holidays are
filled with lots of food, presents, and busy schedules. A walk in
nature is a great way to burn calories, combat stress, and improve
your health and well-being.
Getting everyone excited about going outside and
moving can be a challenge. Adding some activities to the walk is a
way to encourage the whole family to get outside and enjoy the
beauty of the season.
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 Grab
some paper and crayons and create bark rubbings of your favorite
trees. Select a variety of trees with smooth, rough, or peeling
bark. Use these as a backdrop for a favorite photo or homemade
thank-you notes.
Bingo hiking is a fun way to help everyone enjoy the outdoors. Have
each person draw a picture of something they think they’ll find on
the hike. Draw one picture per square just like bingo. The first one
to fill a row up and down, across, or diagonally wins a warm
beverage.
You have probably played “Eye Spy” while on long road trips. The
next game is a variation of the latter and uses a camera and closeup
images of items found along the trail. Send someone ahead of the
group to capture a closeup of a leaf, rock, log, mushroom, or other
item. It should be super close so the others will have difficulty
identifying it. Once the group reaches the photographer, have them
identify the area where the item can be found. It will keep people
involved and encourage everyone to take a closer look at the beauty
of their surroundings. Plus, you might just end up with some
beautiful pictures to share or frame.
Consider sending everyone on a search for certain items. Perhaps
it’s various items of a certain color. Or use the alphabet as a
guide. First, have them find something that starts with an A, then a
B, and so on. See if you can repeat all the items from A to Z once
you find all 26. It’s a great way to help youngsters learn the
alphabet and an excellent memory exercise for any age.
Create a little winter outdoor art. Use sidewalk chalk to dress up
your snow-free walks and drives. Add a few drops of food coloring to
a bottle of water and paint the snow. You’ll enjoy the changes in
your artwork as the rain and snow morph the design over time.
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Learn more about the trees in your community. Have
one person call out the name and a description of a tree to find.
Once they provide this information the others need to locate a
specimen and if possible, give it a hug. You will be amazed at the
impact felt when embracing a tree. This might be a fun way to find
trees to use for your bark rubs or create a list of all the trees
and clues learned along the way.
You might find everyone is more willing to venture on a walk outside
when adding these and other activities. After becoming more aware of
their surroundings they may even opt for a quiet walk in the woods.
Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books,
including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space
Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything”
instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s
Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing
editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is
www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com]
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