Fun hiking activity for kids on a day hike: Off Limits

"Darn! I knew I wasn't supposed to say 'flower.'"

Generally, exploring and discovery is enough for kids, but sometimes even they can grow bored with that and become restless. Remember that they naturally have shorter attention spans than adults.

Fortunately, there are lots of tried and true activities you can do on the trail that’ll keep kids from getting bored. Among them is Off Limits.

When the kids get bored, try this fun game, called Off Limits. Select a common word – rock, tree, bird, Dad – that will be “Off Limits.” Whoever says the word during casual conversation (and the object of your conversation should be to maneuver your opponents into saying the word) must then “pay the penalty” by dancing like a chicken for one minute or by reciting a tongue twister three times over.

Materials: None needed

Ages: 6 and up

Learn about more than a hundred other hiking diversions for kids in Hikes with Tykes: Games and Activities.