How Nature Walks Support Child Development – Benefits of Family Time Outdoors

Walking with children offers numerous benefits, both physical and mental, as well as fostering a deeper connection with nature and family. Here are some of the benefits we’ve noticed as we’ve racked up the miles together:

1. Physical Health

• Exercise: Walking promotes cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, and enhances coordination, helping children build endurance and maintain a healthy weight. In a world of video games and Netflix binge watching, hiking is a fantastic way to keep the whole family active!
• Bone Development: Walking, especially on varied terrain, helps with bone development and strength. This is important for growing children, but it’s also beneficial for parents too, (especially us Mums) as women start losing their bone density much earlier than Dads.
• Improves Sleep: Physical activity during the day can help children sleep better at night. When we’ve been on longer or more technical walks, the boys have dropped off almost the moment their heads hit their pillows! Bliss!

2. Mental Well-being

• Stress Relief: Nature walks can reduce stress and anxiety for both children and adults, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation. In this busy world it helps everyone unplug and detach ourselves from the stresses that bother us each day.
• Boosts Mood: Exposure to natural surroundings increases serotonin levels, helping to improve mood and reduce irritability. I always feel better after a good walk, and at this argumentative age, even the boy’s petty squabbles are slightly reduced 😅

3. Cognitive Development

• Improves Concentration: Regular walks in nature have been linked to improved focus and cognitive functioning, particularly in school-age children.
• Curiosity and Learning: Walks provide a great opportunity for children to explore and ask questions about the world around them, fostering a sense of curiosity and discovery. We’ve been able to answer most of our children’s questions on walks, and it’s been amazing witnessing their knowledge grow. But, it’s also important to note that adults don’t know everything, and it’s been fun to ‘put a pin’ in some questions, and Google it together once home – learning for the whole family – even after the walk is over!

4. Social and Emotional Benefits

• Bonding Time: Walking as a family strengthens the emotional bond between parents and children, creating space for conversations and shared experiences. At an age where my two seem to be constantly bickering, it’s heart warming to see them club together as they help each other on difficult terrain, or unite in conversations about things they agree on! From a parents point of view, I’ve also really enjoyed this extra time I get to natter with my children . Our chats have included some deep and meaningful conversations, as well as much lighthearted content, and I hope this makes our boys realise they can come to us with any problems as they get older, especially as they enter their teens. The beauty of walking is that it’s quite easy to go off and have a private conversation with one parent without the fear or worry of anyone else hearing you.
• Teaches Patience and Perseverance: Walking longer distances or overcoming obstacles like hills or rough terrain helps children develop resilience and patience. It’s also important to note that it helps them feel like they’ve achieved something too – on a recent walk (our longest to date) my youngest struggled at one point with tiredness, yet he doesn’t recall this when we chat about it now!
• Confidence Building: Achieving small walking goals boosts self-esteem, especially for younger children. I love chatting to the boys after our walks to discuss what they did and didn’t enjoy about each walk, but we also like to take a look at our Strava results – they love seeing their achievements in map form and seeing if they’ve beaten their mileage!

5. Connection to Nature

• Environmental Awareness: Walking in natural settings teaches children to appreciate the environment, plants, animals, and seasonal changes, instilling respect for the world around them. We often talk about the plants or animals we see, the boys will show their disgust at any litter we come across. I hope these walks will deter them from becoming the type who think it’s acceptable to throw their litter anywhere!
• Sensory Engagement: Being outdoors stimulates all senses—sight, sound, smell, touch, and sometimes even taste (e.g., fresh berries)—which enhances their sensory development. My youngest is not afraid to touch anything, but it has allowed us to have the conversation that if we don’t know what something is, we just don’t touch it!

6. Encourages Creativity

• Imagination: Nature walks often inspire creative thinking. Children may invent games, spot shapes in clouds or trees (so popular with our boys!), or come up with stories as they explore different surroundings.

7. Promotes Independence

• Decision-Making: Allowing children to help choose routes, decide when to take breaks, or explore safe areas on their own gives them a sense of autonomy and confidence in making decisions. It also ensures they enjoy your walks – our boys take great pride in leading the walks they choose, and when they know they can take a break on their terms, it becomes less of a route march and more of a fun family day out!

Overall, walking with children provides a fun, low-cost way to foster a lifelong love for physical activity, exploration, and connection to nature. But perhaps most importantly, it creates a strong family bond and a lifetime of memories to cherish!