Cincy families, FALL is coming, where being outdoors and hiking is at its all-time high. There is something so magical about being on trails where leaves are embracing their color changes and the weather invites you into a no-sweat movement of time as you explore together.
Taking fall walks and hikes is one of my favorite activities of this season as lingering outdoors creates many of our memory-making days.
Just to enjoy a leisurely walk is enjoyment for this season, but I wanted to also give you some additional team-building style activities you can intentionally invest in as you adventure together.
Piggyback or shoulder weight challenge:
Designate a length of distance and do some piggyback or shoulder races to see who can make it the farthest. Have family members who are not in the race cheering on the sidelines. The winner gets to pick where to eat dessert after the hike!
Climbing challenge:
Find a safe climbing space {a rock wall, a tree, a steep hill} and let one person at a time make the climb. The remaining family members are helping with their steps and their endurance and giving them support.
Skipping rocks:
Collect some great skipping rocks together and use them as a teaching moment to guide one another on which strategies work for the most skips to see if you can get every family member skipping the highest number together.
Collect treasures:
Collect different items found along the hike and keep them in a bag that you bring with you, and use them to make a craft once you get back home. You can get a fun jar to put them all in with a framed photo sitting next to it of a favorite memory shared on your hike.
Create a photo prop from something you find on the trail:
Being a photog mama, I love taking photos of my kids with things that they find in places where we are spending time together and taking a photo of them to capture this age and season with it. 
Work together to build something:
There is an array of creativity for this one. If you are in a place where you can build a fire, then you can collect different sticks while you are walking and then find a spot to build a fire and take some rest time together. You could even pack some s’more items and have a special dessert time there. Or you can also use this as a time to build something in the area that another family hiking after you can enjoy when they see it.
Animal encounter:
Depending on where you are hiking, make a list before you go on with the animals you want to find and do a challenge on who finds them all. Add an extra challenge by letting whoever finds the most unique item not on the list be the winner and get to pick your next dinner spot together!
Warm the heart:
Find a walking beam that feels like a challenge to walk across. While one person is walking across, have the family members speak words of affirmation to them on a favorite thing they love about them and give them encouragement.
What other activities would you add to this list?
