Family Walks: The Start Of A New Tradition

The simple tradition of family walks can strengthen the bond with your loved ones.

A couple of months after my husband and I got married we decided to embark on a new adventure. We were going to adopt a puppy! My family owned many dogs while I was growing up and so I naturally become an animal lover at a young age.

The idea of having a dog of my own someday and being it’s “person” was something very special to me and I couldn’t wait to start this new journey. We decided to adopt a pup named “Sam” from a local rescue. He was a 6 month old Boxer/Labradore mix with a shiny black coat and white chest.

He was the most handsome little guy I’d ever seen and boy did he have some energy! Simply put: he required a lot of walks.

Family Walks

Little did I know at the time, but this was the start of a new tradition for us- family walks.

A short while later we became pregnant with our firstborn and decided to move into a new neighborhood to a home more suitable for a growing family.

Our new house was conveniently located near a greenspace park and bike path and we definitely took advantage of this wonderful perk. As our family grew from 3 to 4 we continued those walks which now consisted of a leash and a stroller with a sweet baby girl. We were over the moon.

Two and a half years later we welcomed a baby boy into the world. And the walks continued. I will always have memories of our sweet Sam happily prancing about, our little lady chatting away, and our handsome little man along for the ride.

Creating Sweet Memories

Over the years there have been a few family walks that I’ve sat out. Occasionally, after a noticeably rough day, my husband will offer to take the kids and Sam on a walk to give me some down time. Although I have happily accepted a few times, more often than not I decide to go ahead and join my family.

I have never regretted that decision.

There is something so calming about getting outside to enjoy God’s creation. We have had some of the best laughs and giggles, seen some of the most beautiful sunsets, and made many precious memories on our walks.

I can honestly say that so often the best 30 minutes of my day happens when we’re all together sharing our thoughts, holding hands, giving (and getting) piggyback rides, meeting new animals along the way and saying hello to passersby.  

I know that not every family is able to do walks like we do, but I want to encourage you to start some kind of tradition of spending time together.

And then cherish those moments.

It all goes by so quickly.

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How Do I Make My Family Walk Fun?

If you do have a desire to begin this new tradition, but are wondering how to make your family walks fun I’d encourage you to not overthink things. Whether you’re walking with toddlers or teenagers you can certainly have an enjoyable time while creating new memories. There are plenty of fun things to do on a walk! The goal is simply to spend time together.

Ask each other questions. Bring up a sweet family memory. Offer someone a piggyback ride or challenge each other to a race. Play an I spy neighborhood walk or go on a nature walk scavenger hunt. (Please feel free to download the nature walk scavenger hunt printable below if you have some younger kiddos!)

At this point we have enjoyed hundreds (if not thousands) of family walks together. I can tell you from experience that just being outside getting exercise has a way of bringing about smiles all on its own. When you mix in your favorite people and some sweet chatter it’ll only make it even more enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had our share of tired meltdowns over the years, but even those don’t ruin our time together.

Why Are Family Walks Important?

So why are family walks important? There are multiple benefits of family walks! Spending intentional time together with our children and spouse can’t help but strengthen our relationships. And there’s something special about nature that seems to naturally draw people together.

Research has proven that spending time outdoors has a positive impact on your health- both mental and physical. It can lower blood pressure and anxiety, reduce stress, and increase focus. (On a side note, I can say that as a Mom of two ADHD children our walks and bike rides have been a huge help for our kiddos.) And for the icing on top, as a form of exercise, walking produces serotonin and dopamine- the “feel good” hormones!

I understand that getting in the routine of walking together may not be as easy for your family as it’s been for us. Obviously not everyone has a walking path right across the street from their home. However, I’d like to encourage you to pursue this idea and get creative.

If walking around your neighborhood or country roads doesn’t sound all that exciting to you then try something else. If you do a search for “family walks near me” a host of parks, nature preserves, and hiking trails will pop up. It’s more than okay to change it up sometimes too! Take a trip to the city and go site seeing on a walk or switch it up and go for a bike ride every once and a while.

Whatever you decide to do please just make sure that you purposefully set aside life’s distractions in order to pour into your family.

Life Is Short

As I write this our boy, Sam, is sick with cancer. I don’t know how many walks he has left in him, but I will cherish each and every one. The last 7.5 years we’ve had with him have been such a joy and blessing.

He was the first to introduce us to parenthood… and the first to introduce us to family walks.

**Update** Our sweet Sam passed away towards the end of August. These photos were taken on one of our very last walks together. I am so grateful for the kindness of our Heavenly Father who gives us such amazingly loving and loyal companions to walk by our side. It was truly a beautiful friendship.