Fun game for hiking kids: How Far?

"From this trail post, we're 1 mile from the falls."

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 How Far?

Have a child select a prominent object ahead on the trail, such as an observation tower, a lake, or a tall tree. Each child then estimates how far away the object is. Whoever is carrying the map marks the group’s spot on the trail where the estimates were made. Upon reaching the object, take a rest break and have the children determine via the map how far they’d walked since they made their estimates. The child whose estimate was most accurate wins.

Materials: Map

Ages: 9 and up

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