Sit less, walk more, speak Gaelic – early years to secondary

Published 01/06/2023.  Last updated 29/06/2023

This activity provides tips and advice on how to encourage your child or young person to sit less and walk more. There are a few suggestions for activities to do in Gaelic, with parents/carers also encouraged to have natural conversations when walking. It is important for your child to continue to have a positive attitude to this different way of learning, so please do what you can.

Can you sit less and walk more each day?

Can you encourage your child/young person to sit less and walk more by doing the same yourself?

Walking is inclusive, safe, easy to do and fun. All you need is weather-proof clothes in Scotland!

'Walking builds bones and muscles, and helps kids grow up big and strong. It also improves stamina, reduces stress, and boosts the immune system for 24 hours.' NHS - change 4 life

Information for parents/carers, children and young people

Tips to reduce sitting time:

  • Consider ways for children and teenagers to "earn" screen time.
  • Agree a family limit to screen time per day
  • Make bedrooms a TV, computer/laptop and phone-free zone.
  • Set 'no screen time' rules to encourage other activities.
  • Encourage participation in house chores such as setting the table or taking the bins out.
  • If possible, choose gifts such as a scooter, skateboard, ball or kite to encourage active play.

Parents/carers could lead by example by also reducing their TV time.

For children at sgoil àraich and P1

Things to do on your walk with your family:

  • As you walk, ask children to say in Gaelic the colours of what they are seeing around them.
  • On your walk, collect some natural items, for example, twigs, stones, leaves to create a picture when back home. In Gaelic, describe the items you are collecting.
  • Can you walk with someone from your family and step at the same time together trying to keep in rhythm? Count in Gaelic as you do this.
  • As you walk, can you splash in puddles/see who can make the biggest splash?
  • As you walk, in Gaelic play word games, for example, the alphabet game, counting games, i-spy?
  • In Gaelic, can you count a particular item you may see in the windows of houses and shops?

What changes do you notice in your body as you walk? How do you feel?

For children at P2 - P4

Things to do on your walk with your family:

  • Look for any house names and signs written in Gaelic. Check that you understand what the signs say and, if necessary look up new words.
  • Have a treasure hunt on your walk. Can you see the following:
    • A feather
    • A colourful leaf
    • Something that could float
    • Something spikey
    • A bit of wood or a stone that looks like an animal
    • Something yellow?
  • How many of these items can you say in Gaelic?

What changes do you notice in your body as you walk? How do you feel?

For children at P5 - P7

Things to do on your walk with your family:

  • Look for a few house names and signs that are written in English. Work out how you would say these in Gaelic.
  • Look for any numbers, eg house numbers. Say these numbers in Gaelic.
  • As you walk, look for something that begins with each letter of the Gaelic alphabet.
  • Find out about local walking routes.
  • Plan a daily walk for you and your family.
  • Set a target for distance and time.
  • Describe why people should sit less and walk more.
  • Walk for 1 minute then stop. Feel your pulse in your wrist and listen to your breathing. How does your body feel during and after your walk?

For young people at S1 - S3

Things to do on your walk with your family:

  • Look for any numbers, eg house numbers. Say each number in Gaelic. Keep doubling the numbers, giving your answers in Gaelic to see how far you get!
  • As you walk, make an alphabet chain. Start by looking for something that begins with the letter ‘a’, followed by the last letter of the item you spot and so on. Be prepared to solve problems as you go along, for example if a word in your alphabet chain ends in an ‘h’, eg, craobh.
  • Find out about local walking routes. Check any place names on the route to see if they are of Gaelic origin.
  • Plan a daily walk for you and your family.
  • Set a target for distance and time.
  • Try to increase your fitness by walking and running in short bursts. Can you encourage a family member to join you in the jogging part? If you do not like the idea of jogging, how else could you increase your fitness?
  • Over the weeks, you can increase the number of times you repeat jogging then walking or you can increase the length of time you jog.
  • Pay attention to breathing rate and ability to talk as you walk/jog. This helps you to monitor your body’s reaction to physical activity.
  • Research Scottish Government physical activity guidelines for your age group. In what ways might you meet the daily target?

Extra challenge: Couch to 5k

^ Back to top

Sit less, walk more, speak Gaelic – early years to secondary

Published 01/06/2023.  Last updated 29/06/2023

This activity provides tips and advice on how to encourage your child or young person to sit less and walk more. There are a few suggestions for activities to do in Gaelic, with parents/carers also encouraged to have natural conversations when walking. It is important for your child to continue to have a positive attitude to this different way of learning, so please do what you can.

Can you sit less and walk more each day?

Can you encourage your child/young person to sit less and walk more by doing the same yourself?

Walking is inclusive, safe, easy to do and fun. All you need is weather-proof clothes in Scotland!

'Walking builds bones and muscles, and helps kids grow up big and strong. It also improves stamina, reduces stress, and boosts the immune system for 24 hours.' NHS - change 4 life

Information for parents/carers, children and young people

Tips to reduce sitting time:

  • Consider ways for children and teenagers to "earn" screen time.
  • Agree a family limit to screen time per day
  • Make bedrooms a TV, computer/laptop and phone-free zone.
  • Set 'no screen time' rules to encourage other activities.
  • Encourage participation in house chores such as setting the table or taking the bins out.
  • If possible, choose gifts such as a scooter, skateboard, ball or kite to encourage active play.

Parents/carers could lead by example by also reducing their TV time.

For children at sgoil àraich and P1

Things to do on your walk with your family:

  • As you walk, ask children to say in Gaelic the colours of what they are seeing around them.
  • On your walk, collect some natural items, for example, twigs, stones, leaves to create a picture when back home. In Gaelic, describe the items you are collecting.
  • Can you walk with someone from your family and step at the same time together trying to keep in rhythm? Count in Gaelic as you do this.
  • As you walk, can you splash in puddles/see who can make the biggest splash?
  • As you walk, in Gaelic play word games, for example, the alphabet game, counting games, i-spy?
  • In Gaelic, can you count a particular item you may see in the windows of houses and shops?

What changes do you notice in your body as you walk? How do you feel?

For children at P2 - P4

Things to do on your walk with your family:

  • Look for any house names and signs written in Gaelic. Check that you understand what the signs say and, if necessary look up new words.
  • Have a treasure hunt on your walk. Can you see the following:
    • A feather
    • A colourful leaf
    • Something that could float
    • Something spikey
    • A bit of wood or a stone that looks like an animal
    • Something yellow?
  • How many of these items can you say in Gaelic?

What changes do you notice in your body as you walk? How do you feel?

For children at P5 - P7

Things to do on your walk with your family:

  • Look for a few house names and signs that are written in English. Work out how you would say these in Gaelic.
  • Look for any numbers, eg house numbers. Say these numbers in Gaelic.
  • As you walk, look for something that begins with each letter of the Gaelic alphabet.
  • Find out about local walking routes.
  • Plan a daily walk for you and your family.
  • Set a target for distance and time.
  • Describe why people should sit less and walk more.
  • Walk for 1 minute then stop. Feel your pulse in your wrist and listen to your breathing. How does your body feel during and after your walk?

For young people at S1 - S3

Things to do on your walk with your family:

  • Look for any numbers, eg house numbers. Say each number in Gaelic. Keep doubling the numbers, giving your answers in Gaelic to see how far you get!
  • As you walk, make an alphabet chain. Start by looking for something that begins with the letter ‘a’, followed by the last letter of the item you spot and so on. Be prepared to solve problems as you go along, for example if a word in your alphabet chain ends in an ‘h’, eg, craobh.
  • Find out about local walking routes. Check any place names on the route to see if they are of Gaelic origin.
  • Plan a daily walk for you and your family.
  • Set a target for distance and time.
  • Try to increase your fitness by walking and running in short bursts. Can you encourage a family member to join you in the jogging part? If you do not like the idea of jogging, how else could you increase your fitness?
  • Over the weeks, you can increase the number of times you repeat jogging then walking or you can increase the length of time you jog.
  • Pay attention to breathing rate and ability to talk as you walk/jog. This helps you to monitor your body’s reaction to physical activity.
  • Research Scottish Government physical activity guidelines for your age group. In what ways might you meet the daily target?

Extra challenge: Couch to 5k

^ Back to top