Ice play provides a rich sensory experience for children to explore. There are so many wonderful creative ways to enjoy ice play, including science, art and maths activities. Here are some of our favourite ice play ideas, from some of our favourite bloggers. Click through on each of the links to discover some fantastic ice play ideas you can enjoy with your children this winter. [Read more…]
This week’s school gardening club motto was ‘how cool is that!’ When the children arrived for the club I don’t think they really believed us when we said we were going to plant flowers in wellington boots – but that’s just what we did.
The aim of the school garden is to be as eco-friendly as we can while still creating a beautiful space. Inspired by the wellies, teapots and bottles I’d pinned onto our Kids Gardens Pinterest board we set about gathering some quirky eco planters to create our own wall of colour. The plan was to re-use and upcycle what we already had, were about to throw out or could find in charity shops. And it’s amazing just what you can find to transform into a plant pot! [Read more…]
We’re enjoying the warm weather this week and the opportunity to play outside in the sunshine. As well as playing in their rock pool, the children have been cooking up sand pies and pebble cakes in their play kitchen. Do you have an outdoor cooking area for your kids?
As you can see, ours was improvised by the girls from a deckchair and items borrowed from our indoor home corner – a great reminder that you can encourage lots of creative play outdoors just by relocating resources from one area to another. Do you like the fire they made to heat their oven? Add in few pots and pans and they were ready to get cooking.
Play kitchens give children the opportunity to take on different roles, trying out the skills they see the adults in the family using. There’s lots of measuring and counting to be done and plenty to chat about as they prepare their meals. Providing sand, water or mud offers sensory play and science exploring, as the children combine wet and dry materials and observe how the textures change. Physical skills develop as they try out utensils and spoon and pour their ingredients. But even better than all of this, outdoor play kitchens are fun!
For more inspiring outdoor play kitchen ideas have a look at Worms Eye-View and let the children play. The Frugal Family Fun Blog has a diy travel kitchen, which you could take with you wherever you play – I’d like one made in a wipe-able oilcloth fabric which we could take with us to the beach. And Childhood 101 has a tutorial for transforming a cardboard box into a stove.
Do your children enjoy pretend cooking?
We love parachute games! They are great for some large scale play with a group of children and are wonderful for promoting team work and listening skills, as everyone needs to work together to follow instructions and listen to cues to make the games work. You can play parachute games inside or out, with a play parachute or a big piece of fabric or a bedsheet. You don’t even need a whole class of children – I’ve played this happily as a pair with a toddler who loved bouncing their teddy on the sheet.
Parachute play ideas to try:
We’re always looking for new inspiration – what ideas for parachute play have you tried?
(Thanks for our Facebook friend Lily Vanilli for the washing machine idea.)
Happily shared with For the Kids Friday and Preschool Corner
You know I’m a huge fan of giving children lots of opportunity to play outside and enjoy the space and freedom they have when they’re out of doors. Whether we’re making fairy gardens or woodland jewellery we try to get outside everyday whatever the weather. Today I wanted to let you know about an amazing opportunity you have to transform a local park or playspace that you know but which might be a little neglected or in need of some new resources.
Ready for Ten, a website I contribute to, have today launched a huge Parents for Playgrounds campaign. Patsy Kensit is sitting in as guest editor for a month and together with Play England is on a mission to donate a £15,000 park renovation bursary. I wanted to let you know about the campaign because you have the chance to nominate which park you think should be given the £15,000, giving your community a chance to benefit.
To find out more about the Parents for Playgrounds campaign, head over to Ready for Ten. You can nominate your favourite park and pick up lots more ideas about how to make the most of outdoor play.
Summer is on the way! It might not exactly feel like it but before we know it the warmer weather will be here and the children will be spending more and more time playing outside. Is your garden ready for them? Maybe it’s time for an Outside Play Space Audit?
