5 Outdoor Activities to Try with Your Toddlers

10 May 2023 | Inspirational Activity Ideas, Nursery and Early Years

Outdoor activities are an essential part of early years learning and development. Spending time outside can provide children with the opportunities to explore and engage in their environment.

We’re exploring some fun outdoor activities for early years to get them enjoying the great outdoors! Keep reading below for some easy outdoor activity ideas.

Planting and Gardening

Gardening can be enjoyed by people of all ages, but with children it can be educational as well as fun! They can develop a variety of skills such as patience and responsibility from caring for the plants. Also, it can inspire a love of nature and understanding of what plants need in order to grow and flourish.

Have them get their hands dirty and plant some lovely flowers to be enjoyed by wildlife. Especially for creatures that are in need. Bees and butterflies are unfortunately on the decline in population due to habitat loss, so every little helps to keep these insects thriving.

Nature scavenger hunt

Take your children on a guided scavenger hunt in the local park or woods and get them engaged in their surroundings. Make a list of things for them to find such as leaves, flowers, rocks, and even animals and insects. Also, have them connect with their other senses such as smelling the air, touching the soil, and listening to the birds chirping.

Camping

Camping can be a fun way to introduce your children to the outdoors and the natural world. Also, there is no need to venture far, the garden at home would be just as effective!

You can create the ultimate camping experience by setting up tents or tepees and blankets and pillows, bring snacks and activities such as board games and books. Why not have them create their own stories to tell during the evening and see where their imagination takes them!

Mud Play

Getting your little ones playing with mud can be a great sensory experience. Mud can allow children to explore different textures as well as smells. Additionally, it can help to develop fine and gross motor skills. Children can explore the mud through scooping, digging and moulding and work on their hand-eye coordination.

A mud kitchen can be the perfect addition for mud play as it offers independent imaginative play in a safe way. There is usually a sink included, so they can mix, pour, and rinse off their toys. You can also include utensils such as pots and pans, as well as natural materials like grass and leaves. See what muddy recipes your little ones can cook up!

Water Play

Children really can spend hours playing with water. Water play can be beneficial to children’s physical, social and mental health development. It’s also extremely easy to set up, especially at home. As long as there’s a sink, tray or container, there are no rules!

Using resources such as buckets, jugs and scoops can be a great way for developing motor skills and coordination. Additionally, allowing free play especially with groups of children can aid their communication skills as they participate in interacting and playing with others.

Looking for more outdoor activity ideas? Check out our den building blog and get your children using their thinking skills!

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