Joshua’s House

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Do you ever get cabin fever? You can’t stand sitting around the office or the house any more and you just want to get out and do something? Well, go take a hike. This activity is fun for the whole family and can be enjoyed by the oldest senior citizen in your family or the youngest infant. (Your teenager might even like it!) These hike ideas can be done in your back yard, but will work better at a park or on a trail. So, grab your family together, and let’s go.

Fun Idea #1 - Gear Up

This idea works best with a camera, although one is not required. A little imagination and some drawing materials (a pencil and paper) will be just fine. Now, as you go on your walk, look around for all sorts of cool things. Whenever you, or one of your children sees something they like, take a picture of it. As much as possible, let the kids use the camera. The picture may not turn out as well, but they’ll have so much more fun. Take pictures of each other along your journey too. Did you find a stream? A really neat rock? Any animals? A funny plant? You will have to keep your eyes pealed for this one and be willing to see through the eyes of a child to find all sorts of really neat stuff. Take your pictures to a one hour photo place to get them developed while you have a picnic meal, or take them home, dump them on your laptop, and print out the nice ones.

Here comes the really fun part. Put together a scrap book with your kids about their fun excursion. On each page, however, let the person who took the picture write a Bible verse or a short paragraph about how the object in the picture teaches them about God, His love for us, what He wants us to be like, or any spiritual lesson. When the scrapbook is all done, spend some time looking at it together, and thank God for loving us so much to give us such a beautiful world.

Fun Idea #2

All you will need for this hike idea is somewhere outside (this one does fine for a backyard), and a paper bag. (A bucket will work, but it needs to be something that you can’t see inside of.

As you go for your walk, each person can pick up one thing to place in the bag. They can pick anything they want (as long as it isn’t a creepy crawly and it won’t hurt someone else). When everyone has gathered their objects and they are in the bag, sit down in a circle outside.

Going clockwise in the circle, start with the person who has the next birthday and then go clockwise. Each person will reach their hand into the bag, and pick out one object (they can not pick their own). Now, they have to figure out what they can learn about God from that object. Some objects may be hard, but you can help younger children by asking them questions, and encouraging them to ask Jesus what He wants them to learn. If you have a small family or want to take more time, increase the number of items that each person gets. And don’t forget to laugh a lot and have a good time!

Fun Idea #3

This hike takes a little more planning on your part, but the planning can be so much fun! It’s a nature scavenger hunt. At the end of the scavenger hunt, you can have a picnic with your kids favorite foods waiting, a new Bible, a Christian CD, a homemade coupon book for things like sleeping in, a hug, a day with no chores, etc. Whatever you have at the end of your scavenger hunt, make it fun and rewarding. Here are some examples of clues that you can use:

• Moses hit his staff on something twice and water came gushing out. What was it? Go to the place where water gushes out of the same thing. (Numbers 20:11)
• Paul tells us to ___ the race with perseverance. As we are running we are supposed to fix our eyes on whom? It’s your turn to run. Race until you get to the big Oak tree where you will see a picture of Jesus waiting for you. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
• Jesus said that whoever believes in Him has _______ of _______ flowing within. Now, go to where that place has a log all the way across it. You will find the next clue in the center of the log. (John 7:38)
• When David was fighting Goliath, he went to the stream to collect __ smooth stones. Go find five small smooth stones in the stream, and to receive the next clue, you must hit the mark I’ve made on the big tree with the funny branches. (1 Samuel 17:40)
• Be creative and make clues that are relevant to where you are going to be.

Tips to keep in mind

1. For all of these activities, make sure to have a Bible handy.
2. Take some memory verse cards and quiz each other along the way.
3. Sing some of your favorite songs together.
4. Let each child in your family take time to tell what’s going on in their lives as you walk.
5. Begin and end your journey with prayer, asking Jesus to be with you.
6. Have fun!

I hope you enjoy these family fun ideas! Be sure to share with us how your family enjoyed the hike!