Mindful walking can be it's own great reward in many senses and particularly in certain environments so, this article is born not with the intent to keep you from meditative and mindful walking but, to give the bored walker , the unmotivated to walk as well as, those who'd just like to try something new and fun, and play some walking games from time to time some, games . However, there in some of these games are tools to exercise your awareness , observation skills, and mind/brain so, they are too somewhat I mindful /meditative exercise . I hope you have fun and get some physical and mental exercise in with these games ! Please , share comments on your experiences with them and thoughts below !
1. Color Game - solo you pick a color before you start walking and then see how many things you can find that are that color . You may want to bring a notebook and jot them down or count them in your head or just do it without any documentation .
With a friend or partner you'll pick a color before you start your walk and then try to beat your partner in finding things and find the most things that are that color again, you may want to bring a notebook and keep score and you may not . You may want to just do it for fun , mental exercise, visual exercise, and entertainment while walking .
2. Found Object Collecting - Play the same way solo or with others . Simply look for discarded objects to collect that you can use . Some things you may find are clothing tags with cool words like exhilarate - that's a recent find of mine , bottle caps , and rubber bands . You may use found objects in art journaling or in found object crafts for example . I have seen found object picture frames and wind-chimes.
3. Bottle and Can Scavenger Hunt- About 1/5 of the U.S.A. offers some cash redemption on bottles and cans so, if you are among the 1/5 then this can be a money making game . If you are not you can still feel good about cleaning up the environment and doing a bit to help preserve the earth by taking them to a recycling center . You may also find a found object or upcycling project to create with them . I have seen people make and sell wind-chimes made from cans , wind instruments made from bottles , and animal garden and lawn caricatures made from bottles and cans and, I'm sure there's a multitude of other possibilities .
If you are doing this with someone else you may wish to make it a contest to see who can gather the most .
4. One Minute All you can Name Game -
Pick something - a category such as types of plants, gemstones, or sports. Your walking partner will start naming things in the category as soon as you start your walk . You may wish to make a thinking time limit between "answers " such as one minute or 2 or 3 . when your partner can't think of anymore and is "out " You can turn around and have them challenge you with a different category and, see if you are out before you return to your walks starting point or if you've done better " win" .
5. Counting Game - Pick something to count ( Something different every time you play this one perhaps )Some ideas for what to count are people, bikes, fences, yellow flowers , etc.
If you are playing solo you do it just as described above . If you are walking with another or others you may wish to do it together and see how many you all collectively can find or you may wish to say them aloud but, keep your own counts and compare after the walk .
6. Letter Game - Pick a letter before starting your walk . When you see something that starts with that letter say it . An example might look like ' F' - flower, fence, friend, fussing baby , fungi , etc.. You can do your whole walk with this letter and try a different one next time you walk and play this game or you can start with A and go through the alphabet too after, a set number such as 5 of each letter. You would walk looking for A's until 5 have been named and then start looking for B's until 5 have been named and so on.
This is easily played about the same solo or with a partner or a group .
Have fun ! Get walking ! Get healthier ! Get playing ! and,
Be Well ! :)
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