Natural entertainment in South Tyrol

Nature games to play on your family hikes

Hiking with children? It’s great fun when the path becomes a playground. We reveal exciting nature games for on the go.

Hiking with children? It’s great fun when the path becomes a playground. The best toys can be found out and about in South Tyrolean nature. We reveal three games that will ensure your kids don’t ask that one dreaded question: “Are we nearly there yet?” Let’s go!

Sticks in hand! Ready? Go!
Stand on a bridge with a stick each. Thick, thin, crooked, or straight – choose your favourite for the swimming competition. On the count of three, you all throw your sticks into the water upstream at the same time and run quickly to the other side of the bridge. Whose stick will arrive first? It’s not just the shape that matters, but also where you throw: the water flows fastest in the centre and slower on the banks, which means aiming for the centre almost always gives you the best chances. In the next round, you can send a leaf, a piece of bark, or a pine cone into the race instead of a stick. What will swim the fastest? And by the way: Pooh the Bear also had fun with this game – which is why it’s often called Pooh Sticks!

The treasure trove by the wayside
Each family member is given a search assignment: something smooth. Something prickly. Something that smells of the forest. Who will collect everything first? The most exciting find is almost always the pine cone, which has some magical talents. Sun? Scales wide open. Wet? Scales closed. Take a closed cone with you, place it in the sun, and look at it again in the evening. Amazement guaranteed. And with the rest? Turn them into a work of art: a face made of stones, a sun made of pine cones, a house made of twigs. Take a photo, leave it, and move on. Who knows who will continue to work on your artwork?

Who can hear the quietest sound?
Sit down, close your eyes, and just listen for a minute. How many different sounds can you count? When you’ve got your eyes closed, you can suddenly hear more. That’s because the brain listens more closely when your eyes take a break. For pros: everyone draws a dot on a piece of paper and then draws an arrow pointing to each sound. Bird on the left, stream below, wind from everywhere. Your very own sound map is ready.

Looking for more ideas to keep the family entertained while you’re out and about? At the Familienhotels Südtirol, we know all kinds of games that make the path feel shorter. Just ask us!

The Gamper family
Aktiv & Familienhotel Adlernest

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