With so many children in our family, it can be difficult to find thing that all of us can do together and enjoy. But, during the pandemic, we discovered the perfect activity to engage all of us - night walks! A night walk is super simple - just what it sounds, walking at night. It's a great way for familiar surroundings to feel unique, special, and fun. Being in the dark changes the whole dynamic of this simple Montessori friendly activity.
Why We Love Night Walks as a Montessori Family
We were one hundred precent inspired by the book City Moon to start taking night walks back in 2020. At. that time, we made it six solid months of taking a walk each night before something came up and we stopped. Now, with regular busy life returning a bit more, we don't make it out every single night, but night walks are still something we enjoy.
We love night walks for a few reasons. One, it get's us outside, moving our bodies together. At night, our entire family is usually home. We can use this as a time to chat, bond, sing, and laugh without distractions. Two, it fills the hours between bed and dinner without destroying the house. Especially in the fall/winter when the afternoons are dark and long it gets us out of the house.
Three, it's a great way to kick off the bedtime routine. We can come right in from our walk and transition right to bedtime. It cuts back on the power struggle of stopping other work/play. Plus. I really think my kids sleep better on nights we are out walking. Finally, they are just a fun learning experience. Everything feels, sounds, and looks different at night. Sometimes we see a fun animal, sometimes we get to talk about the stars, and sometimes it's just Christmas lights but it's always different than during the day.
Tips for Success with Night Walks
There are a few things that make our night walks more successful:
- Safety: we use lights so that we are seen more easily. We live in an urban area with a lot of night traffic so these give us some peace of mind. We have tried a lot of options and none are amazing. These are our favorite.
- Routine: We keep our night walks at a similar time and length. That helps to reduce whining because everyone knows how far we will go, the route we will take, and when we will return
- Flexible: This is supposed to be fun, so we are flexible about it. If it's too cold we shorten the walk, if someone wants to ride in the stroller, okay. We want it to be a time of connection, not strife.
If you're looking for a fun, easy and free way to incorporate a family activity into your life, try a night walk! This has really helped our family as we live Montessori at home!
