Whenever the weather was favourable, I would walk with the childrenin my care to wherever we were going.

Walking is good exercise and it takes longer than driving so would help to fill our days.

I tried to make walking fun, but sometimes children are reluctant to walk, so I used several ideas to help ”jolly ‘ them along ( as I called it).

If we were walking away from a road using a safe footpath I would let the children run a short distance ahead of me. They knew that it was essential to stop if I called out to them instructing a stop and I would give them a landmark to run to, such as that large tree, or gate.

Road safety here

Walking to the library we often saw a squirrel or two on a garden fence, so I would ask the children if they thought we would see a squirrel on this walk.

Sometimes a certain child would ask me what I thought, if I said yes, I think we will see a squirrel, he would say no and vice versa.

He would then speed up the pace to get to the squirrel fence quicker.

We also walked past a low wall, which the children loved walking along.

When we took a short cut through the park; if I had a baby in a buggy who could walk. I would get her out and put on some walking reins ( more here). the older child would love to hold onto them and play ‘horses’.

On another regular walking route there was a helium balloon caught in the top of a tree, so we would see who could spot it first, again encouraging the children to up their stride.

Of course walking near a road the children would hold my hand or hold onto the buggy.

If we were walking on a pavement we would play don’t step on the cracks, or step on the cracks and they took turns to press the button on the pelican crossing.

I would love to hear how others ‘jolly’ their children along!

As always questions and comments are welcome.

Until next time.

Karen

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