Appropriate grades or age groups:
Preschool and Younger
Elementary School

Estimated time to complete activity or implement technique:
An hour or more

Materials needed (if applicable):
Paper bag, felt pen, and pad or small notebook

Activity set-up/instructions or description of technique:
On a pad, list all the letters of the alphabet. As you walk, your children look for items that begin with as many different letters as possible. Write the name of the item next to the appropriate letter on the list. Remind them occasionally about the letters they still need.

You might want to take a paper bag along to collect items. Later on, when you return home or stop to rest or have a picnic, your children can try to arrange the objects in alphabetical order.

Other suggestions or comments:
If you donÆt have time for a hike, your children can blaze their own trails. Perhaps instead of an alphabet hike, theyÆd like to go on a color hike, picking up items that match the color words or color swatches on their lists. Or if the weather does not allow you to go for a hike outdoors, send your kids on a hike around the house!