TinyStepper
Girl crouching by a raised bed watering a seedling with a teal can, ladybird on a leaf

Landmark Stop Walk

Practise walking and stopping at landmarks to build impulse control for toddlers who run off.

Activity details

18m–3y15 minsmediumoutdoorNo prep

Instructions

Get ready
  • Before setting off, explain: 'We’re going to play the stopping game — we walk to the tree, then we stop!'
  • Point to a visible landmark about 10 metres ahead
  1. Before setting off, explain: 'We’re going to play the stopping game — we walk to the tree, then we stop!'
  2. Point to a visible landmark about 10 metres ahead
  3. Walk together, holding hands if needed, narrating: 'Nearly at the tree... and... STOP!'
  4. Celebrate the stop: 'You stopped! Brilliant!'
  5. Let your toddler choose the next landmark: 'What shall we walk to next?'
  6. Gradually increase the distance between landmarks as they get the hang of it
  7. Add variety: 'This time, let’s tiptoe to the lamppost' or 'Can we walk like elephants?'
  8. If they run ahead, gently bring them back to the last landmark and try again with a closer target

Parent tip

Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.

Toddler on a garden step examining a large leaf beside a basket of collected nature treasures

What success looks like

Curiosity in action — pointing, collecting, asking ‘what’s that?’ A child engaged with nature is learning without knowing it.

On a walk, agree on a visible landmark ahead — a tree, a lamppost, a red car — and walk together to it, stopping when you arrive. Then choose the next landmark. This 'walk to the thing, then stop' structure teaches the fundamental impulse control skill that toddlers who run away are still developing: the ability to inhibit a motor response (running) in favour of a planned action (stopping at the target). It turns 'stop running!' into a game rather than a battle.

Why it helps

Birth to 5 Matters describes self-regulation as children's developing ability to regulate their emotions, thoughts and behaviour, and identifies co-regulation with a calm adult as the essential foundation for managing strong feelings. Inhibitory control — the ability to stop a planned or ongoing action — is one of the core executive functions developing rapidly between 18 and 48 months. Toddlers who run away aren’t being naughty; their inhibitory control circuits in the prefrontal cortex are simply immature. This game provides structured, low-stakes practice in stopping on cue, gradually building the neural pathways that make impulse control automatic rather than effortful. Zero to Three explains that toddlers need repeated, safe chances to practise handling big feelings before they can manage them on their own.

Variations

  • Use chalk to draw 'stop circles' on the pavement at intervals for a more structured version.
  • For older toddlers, let them be the 'traffic controller' who decides when everyone walks and stops.
  • Turn it into a counting game: 'Let’s count our steps to the red car — one, two, three...'

Safety tips

  • Always play in a safe area away from roads, car parks, and water.
  • Keep your toddler within arm’s reach at all times, especially near any road crossings.
  • If your toddler cannot stop reliably, use a wrist link or reins until the skill develops — safety overrides the game.

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