The benefits of taking walks as a family

Published Dec 12, 2017

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Heading out for an adventure with the family is a great way to get in some exercise and spend quality time together. 

Whether you're off to the park for a day of play or heading out to explore the local woods, taking short walks together in nature can strengthen family ties, new research suggests.

And family gatherings are the perfect settings for such strolls. 

“In our theoretical model, we made the case that when an individual's attention is restored, they are less irritable, have more self-control, and are able to pick up on social cues more easily. Because of all of those dynamics, we believe they should get along better with other family members,” study author Dina Izenstark said.

The study included 27 sets of mothers and daughters, ages 10 to 12, who were assessed after they took 20-minute walks together in nature and in a mall. The walk in nature boosted positive interactions between the mothers and daughters, helping them get along better.

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