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Outdoor play is crucial to a child's general
well-being and overall development. Fresh air and exercise are
necessary for good health, but outdoor play provides more than just
that. The outdoors provides the opportunity to explore and
experience the world through all of the senses. Play is less
restricted physically and creatively when it happens outdoors.
Children have the freedom to run, yell, and play with more
enthusiasm in the direction they choose when they're outside.
Confidence and self-esteem grow as children meet new challenges and
gain control of their bodies. Children need regular time to
play outdoors, and it is good for parents, too. So, get up,
get out and get active with your child. Great memories aren't
made on the couch.
Here you will find some suggestions for activities you can enjoy
with your children outdoors.
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Easy Tie Dye T-Shirts |
Grab your old t-shirts, some colors of fabric
paint and water for a little outdoor art fun! Dampen the shirt
with water, twist it and apply the paint - squeeze it on, brush it
on or if you'd rather, you can dilute the paint with water, put it
in a spray bottle and spray it on. Lay the shirt on the grass
and let it air dry. Remember, fabric paint is permanent once
dry. The result is a original, fun and funky tie dye t-shirt.
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Color your world - with chalk! |
Sidewalk chalk is a simple and inexpensive way
to spark some creativity in your children. All you need is
some sidewalk chalk (found easily at any toy or dollar store), a
pavement or cement surface, and some imagination. Encourage
children to use their entire canvas. Let them make a mural or
maze that fills the driveway or extends down the block. You
may be amazed at the ideas your children come up with! If inspiration
is running low, use the chalk to draw a four square court or
hopscotch board and let the games begin!
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Four Square |
This was the recess game of choice throughout my
elementary school years. The game requires four players, a bouncy ball
and a four square court. The court can be made easily with
sidewalk chalk or masking tape. The court is a giant square
(approximately 16' x 16') divided into four equal squares (see the
picture to the right).
Each square is assigned a number, 1-4.
The game begins with
the player in the highest square serving the ball (i.e. bouncing it
in their own square, then hitting to another square). The
receiving player hits the ball to another square and the game
continues until a player makes an error and is "out." A player
is considered "out" if they a) hit the ball before it bounces once in
their square, b) allow the ball to bounce more than once in their
square, or c) hit the ball out of bounds (outside of the court).
Once a player is out, they move to the lowest square and the other
players move up to fill the empty squares. If there are more
than four players, the player that is out moves to the back of the
line and the first person in line steps into the lowest square to
play.
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Hopscotch |
 Hopscotch
is a simple, fun game that will build motor and social skills as
children take turns hopping on the hopscotch board. The
hopscotch board may be easily made by using sidewalk chalk or
masking tape. The board consists of eight numbered boxes (see
the picture on the left). The game is played by hopping from
box 1 to box 8 and back. Players hop on one foot, unless the
boxes are positioned side-by-side (for example, boxes 4 and 5 on the
left), then both feet may be placed down, one in each box. The game may
be varied by changing the number or pattern of boxes on the
hopscotch board. Some players choose to add a rounded box at
the end of the board to serve as a rest area before hopping back to
box 1.
It is common to play hopscotch with a marker (i.e. a stone or a
beanbag) that each player tosses into the boxes. The player
must skip the box that contains their marker. The game is over
when a player has successfully completed the hopscotch board with
the marker in each box.
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| Scavenger
Hunts |
This activity is great for children of all ages!
The hunt may be completed by an individual or a group. You may
choose to make it competitive by challenging children to race
against time or each other. Simply provide a list of things to
find outdoors. Your child's stage of development should
determine the length and difficulty of the list. You can vary
the game by making the list general or specific (i.e. find something
brown versus find a pinecone). Be sure to set grounds rules
that include the boundaries for the hunt and any items that are
off-limits. Have fun and hunt safely!
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