The benefits of country walks with your children

I’ve been a city girl for almost 20 years, long before I had a family. I wanted to get away from small-town life and live in a buzzy & urban environment. However, one day, in a bookshop in Notting Hill, a friend recommended to me a book of country walks around London. This was a true revelation for my partner and I: jumping on a train and walking for 15 miles through quaint villages, woods and open fields felt so rewarding, exhausting and a complete escape from the city.

Fast forward a few years: we’re now living in a suburban area of South East London and we have adapted our countryside walks to our 6-year-old son. Since the age of one we’ve explored Kent’s nature with him, first in a baby carrier backpack or on his dad’s shoulders and later on foot. The walks are shorter than they used to but nonetheless enjoyable and so therapeutic for the soul. One who lives in a city urges open spaces, calmness and nature.

As a family, it gives us the opportunity to spend time together with no distractions. The walks are a mix of quiet moments when no one talks and other times when we chat about what we are hearing or seeing around us. We sometimes stop to play a game of ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf?’ near a tree before resuming our walk. If we have a map, my son loves holding it and turns into the leader (his own words) of a tribe, marching at a good pace through the unsteady paths in the woods. That’s his way of imitating the grown-ups and understanding what it entails going from A to B.

We sometimes spot animals on the way (sheep, cows...) interacting with them and commenting on their behaviour. Walking past someone riding a horse definitely makes the news in the world of a young city boy.

Venturing in woods with children entail a lot of discoveries about the nature surrounding us. Like most children my son feels a magnetic need to grab a stick either to fight an invisible enemy or to act like the wise chief. If we have friends and their children coming along, the stories become wilder and funnier. Walking triggers their imagination and senses. We listen to the sounds of the leaves when the wind blows, sing along the chant of a chirpy bird or stop to watch the tireless climb of an insect on a branch.

No matter the season, we build dens with the branches nature has left us, children climb trees as if the forest belonged to them for the day. If you plan ahead, bring a simple picnic, find a spot with a view and enjoy a brief peaceful moment together.

Another surprising aspect of a country walk is the unspoken rule when walking past other walkers: everyone says hello to each other with a smile. It makes me laugh that this behaviour suddenly stops as soon as you reach ‘civilisation’ but I found it such a lovely thing for children to experience.

I really hope my son will share our love for country walks when he is older. On top of being an active habit for our body, I feel it’s even healthier for the mind: it’s a way to reconnect with your children and stock up on family memories.

It is not about how far or how high you can go; these are gentle walks (between 1.5 to 3.5 miles depending on your child’s age) with a lovely mix of woods and open fields and often through public paths. The best ones are the walks that end in a small village with a local cafe you can stop for a well-deserved carrot cake and hot chocolate. Children often need motivation when the tiredness hits them and the prospect of a piece of cake usually works.

So put on your wellies, grab your kids’ puddle trousers, pack your sandwiches and get out in the great outdoors. Where will you go this weekend?

If you live in London or another city, I imagine you feel the same, each time you venture outside your urban bubble with your children. If that’s the case, have you thought of getting memories of those occasional excursions in the countryside as a family? If that’s something you’d be interested in me to capture for you (a walk, a picnic, your kids climbing on trees, building a den, etc…), get in touch and tell me what’s on your mind so we can plan for your very own family photoshoot in the outdoors.

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Marion & You Photography is a documentary photographer in South London specialising in family, newborn and baby photography.