Tips and Tricks

Ideas To Stay Local And Enjoy The Outdoors

With more tier restrictions and traveling becoming a little bit uncertain, we are being forced to explore more of our local surroundings. Now, that’s all well and good if you live next to rolling fields and snow topped hills. But, if you are more city bound, it can feel a little bit more of a chore to get outside and discover your doorstep. Here are my ideas to stay local and enjoy the outdoors with the kids. Including a free printable!

Geocaching

Geocaching is a great way to put a few miles in. Download a geocaching app on to your mobile device and go searching for treasure! The ‘treasure’ is usually a few trinkets in a small box/cannister and hidden around the streets, under stones or in hedges. Open the box, put your name on the finders list and then put it back for others to find. A great way to while away an afternoon and to teach the kids to follow a map.

Treasure Trails

I will rave about this company until i’m blue in the face. I think they are fantastically clever and a great holiday activity to learn more about the areas you are staying in. Pop over to www.treasuretrails.co.uk and search for the town you want to explore. Download your map (or have it posted) and follow the clues to solve the puzzle. There are hundreds to choose from, in every part of the UK. We have completed a few now, including our home town, and we have thoroughly enjoyed every single one. A brilliant outdoors adventure for ages 1-100!

Map Reading

You’re never too young to start reading a map. Print off a beginners guide to map reading at the GetOutside Hub and practice where you know. Your local streets are the perfect place to get a handle on grid references and compass points. Give the kids the reigns and see where they take you. Alternatively, download the OS maps app and plot a route to somewhere new, from your front door. How many ways can you get there? What new routes can you discover?

Local Heritage

Have a bit of a Google about your local area. What’s the most interesting thing you can find? Is there somebody famous who lived nearby? Take a walk around and discover a marvellous piece of history about where you live. I bet there will be something that makes you go Wow! I recently discovered a trail where we live, that King Charles II escaped on after his defeat at the battle of Worcester. We now walk sections of the route and pretend we are royal escapees, letting our imaginations run wild with history.

Urban Bingo

For the younger kids who like to have something to do, why not print off the Urban Bingo sheet. A quick way to peak some interest in an urban walk around, or on a stroll to the shops. Once you start looking, you never know what you will find. Can you add anything interesting to the bingo board?!


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