Go on a festive hike this holiday season with this cute jingle bell hiking stick! Kids will love making them and have a blast taking them outdoors for a fun nature walk. After kids are done moving and shaking, make some hot chocolate and they’ll be ready to relax!
We’ve all been there…You finally get the kids ready for a wintertime hike and after five minutes of walking, they start complaining and want to go home. I thought this fun hiking stick was just the motivation they needed to stay outdoors and hike a bit longer on those chilly winter days! I borrowed this idea from Creating a Musical Forest and tweaked it a bit to match my boys excitement for all things Christmas. Remember, you can adjust the bead colors and shapes to reflect any time of year!
Here’s what you’ll need to get your kids excited about their next outdoor adventure.
Supplies:
- Branch for a walking stick
- Scissors
- Green and/or Red– Yarn or string
- Beads and jingle bells
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How to Make the Hiking Stick:
Step 1:
First you need to cut some string or yarn and wrap it around the branch. I tied the string right above a knot on the branch so the string would sit there if it loosened a little.
We found it easiest to have one person hold the branch and spin it around while another person held on to the string and moved it up and down the branch.
Our branch looked like this after the first step. You can also add silver, gold, or red string at this point but we only had green available.
Step 2:
Next tie a new piece of string on the branch. This piece of string will be used to thread your beads and bells.
You might need to tie the end of your piece of string to keep it from fraying.
It took my boys some practice, but once they got the hang of it they really enjoyed this part of the activity. This is a great way to get in some fine motor work!
Once all of your beads and bells are on the string, you can wrap it around the branch the same way as before. You might need to move the beads and bells to space them out as you go. Also make sure you tightly wrap the string around the branch or you will need to tighten it later.
Now you are ready for your hike! The boys were so excited to get outside to use their newest hiking accessory.
Once you are finished, just lean it up against your house and it doubles as a festive outdoor decoration until your next hike!
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I hope you give this fun activity a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love it as much as my boys.
∼Tara
