Tons of Outdoor Learning Ideas for Kids

I know it’s still hot in a lot of places, but fall is a wonderful time for outdoor learning. If kids are learning at school, teachers might be looking for opportunities to get kids outside where they can distance more easily. If kids are learning at home, outdoor learning gives them a chance to get outside and away from the computer.

Teaching Ideas has gathered more than 60 options for outdoor learning including literacy, art, science, math and STEM. There are ideas that can be used throughout the year while other are suited for specific seasons (such as a solar oven or melting ice, or learning about hibernation).

Hopefully this collection will inspire you to remember that outdoor learning can and should be happening throughout the year and it doesn’t just have to be nature walks and scavenger hunts (though those things are great, too!). Even just taking reading or art class outside can make a big difference in kid’s (and teacher’s) attitudes and give everyone a different perspective on learning. Do you know a little gardener? Check out these DIY Garden Kits, perfect for gift giving.

[Photo: Teaching Ideas.]

Check out this article on the best STEM gifts for kids.

Check out our Online store for special buys on Educational gifts We find bulk items and end-of-stock supplies to bring you heavily discounted items. (make sure you check our store often so you don’t miss out on new stock). We also have some free printable files, including a Science PDF for learning about Microscopes.

We’ve gotten to the point in summer where I live where I spend a lot of time thinking about ice cream. While I’m trying to avoid eating ice cream daily as a way to beat the heat, let’s take a look at some ice cream themed crafts we can make instead.

And don’t miss these learning activities with an ice cream theme if you need more ideas.

One of the links in that post was to this cute puffy paint ice cream cone craft from Crafty Morning, which deserves more attention because it’s super cute and this version of puffy paint is easy to make and sensory fun for kids. They also have this cute handprint ice cream cone craft that’s super sweet for little kids to make.

You can use everyday materials of all sorts to make your ice cream cones. For example, you can use a sponge and pompom or cotton balls like stamps as in this craft from Fantastic Fun and Learning.

Or use a potato to make the top of the cone like this one from Made to be a Momma.

Make your ice cream from a doily, like this one from Crafts on Sea, which is also embellished with pompoms for sprinkles. I Heart Crafty Things has a similar project done with a cupcake liner instead of a doily.

Or try using cotton pads, which can then be decorated with watercolors, as shown in this tutorial from Happy Toddler Playtime. You could do the same thing with cotton balls if you don’t have cotton pads handy.

Cut a paper plate into a cone shape and have kids decorate it with this craft idea from Easy Peasy and Fun. One of hers shows using real sprinkles to decorate the ice cream, which is a great idea if you’ve got some old sprinkles lurking in the pantry. Or you can just draw on sprinkles or use other random things from around the house.

The Pinterested Parent has a printable for a mosaic ice cream cone craft, which is a fun way to use up bits of paper. You could also make it more of a collage with different kinds and colors of paper and different items to add to your ice cream.

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