Unnature Trail



Category Game
Type Kim's game
Time to allocate (mins) 15
Instructions

Look for a trail going through an area where you can see the ground and where there isn't a lot of tall grass or thick shrubs. (A forest where there are both small and large trees, leaf litter, rotting logs, and some plants is ideal.) Choose a 65- to 100-foot section of the trail making sure that it is wide enough for two people to pass. Along the trail you'll place 16 to 24 man-made objects. Some of them should stand out, like brightly colored balloons or fluorescent pink cockroaches. Others should blend with their surroundings, and therefore be more difficult to pick out. Keep the number of objects you've planted secret.

The children walk over the section of trail one at a time, with intervals between them, trying to spot (but not pick up) as many of the objects as they can. When they reach the end of the trail, they whisper in your ear how many they saw. Tell each child the total number of objects, or, if you prefer, the fraction or per cent of the total that they've found. Encourage the children to walk the trail again, looking for any objects they've missed. If you want to make it easier for the players, place a marker (like a red bandanna) near the objects that are the hardest to find.

Can combine with trails by using trail signs to define the path they need to walk.


Entry written by Sharon Venn of 1st Randburg