Games for the Trail

Test the observation skills of your hiking friends.

Predict the Pollinator - Did you know that blackflies pollinate blueberries? Insects, birds and the wind are important players in pollinating flowers. As you hike along, take the time to observe the variety of bees, flies, butterflies, beetles, hummingbirds and moths visiting the flowers. Soon you’ll notice that the hummingbirds can be found on tubular or red flowers, butterflies may be on those which allow it to grab on with its feet and the other insects are found on the white and brightly colored flowers. The dull green flowers of many trees are not pollinated by insects, they are pollinated by the wind. As you hike along, look for flowers. By looking at the shape and color try to predict the pollinator. At your next break on the trail, sit down to watch. See if you predicted the right pollinator.

Colors in Nature – As you are hiking along the trail, challenge your hiking partners to find at least ten things in nature that are blue. The first one to find ten blue things chooses the next color challenge.

Log Roll – Turn over a rotting log to see what is living underneath. Carry an insect guide with you and see if you can identify any of the critters before they scramble away. If you don’t have an insect guide with you, sketch the insects and use your drawings to help identify them when your are at the hut. Be sure to roll the log back to its original place.

The Mystery Bag – You’ll need a stuff sack or lunch bag and several items found on the trail. Collect items along the trail (acorns, pine cones, small stones, trash, - no fair picking any living plants). When you stop for a rest, have your hiking buddies put their hands in the bag and try to identify the items by touch.

The Memory Game – Have everyone close their eyes. Display the items collected for the mystery bag game. Have everyone open their eyes for 10 seconds to memorize all of the items. Cover the items or put everything back in the bag and see how well they can remember all of the items. Be sure to return everything you collected to its proper home.

I Spy . . . While hiking along the trail one hiker keeps in mind something he sees on the trail. He tells the group if he spies an animal, vegetable or mineral. The rest of the group asks yes or no questions to figure out what is being spied. The one who figures it out is the next one to spy.

Hug a Tree – You’ll have to know your trees for this one. One hiker is the treemaster. While hiking along the trail, the treemaster calls out the name of a tree in the area, for example Birch. Everyone scrambles to find a Birch tree to give it a great big hug.