After talking about outdoor learning areas for the home or school last month, I’m still thinking about ways to get kids outside during the summer. I know it can be a struggle when you live somewhere warm and as kids get older and don’t naturally want to be outside all the time. (I think I’ve come up with a clever solution by volunteering with my teen at a local garden.)
This one is from a website for little ones (Happy Toddler Playtime) but I think older kids would also enjoy making an aluminum foil river in the back yard. This works best if you have an area that’s smooth and gently sloping, but if your sidewalk is flat turn it into an engineering challenge to see how to make the water flow better. You can also have boat races (with boats you have or boats kids make), see how much water is needed to make different things float, try different configurations of your “stream” and more.
I’m a big fan of the outdoor scavenger hunt, and The Crazy Outdoor Mama has five free printable options for different age groups. From a simple scavenger hunt with drawings of things to look for for younger kids to a mindfulness hunt that includes things like a pretty smelling plant and a sunny place to lie down, there’s something for everyone here.
If your kids like to collect treasures on their scavenger hunts and nature walks, one way to preserve them is by making clay impressions and painting the clay to make a long-lasting work of art. This tutorial from My Bright Ideas will show you how it’s done.
Need more ideas? Messy Little Monster has a great collection of forest school activities to try, from making natural paintbrushes to making bird feeders and using natural materials to make art. I love this Andy Goldsworthy project pictured here. And Montessori Nature has a ton of great ideas and some free printables related to outdoor learning activities to give you even more inspiration. Shown above are magic wands made with sticks and bits of string or fabric.
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