AD | Collaborative post
Ever since Erin was little we’ve got outside as much as possible. We’re very lucky to have a large back garden as well as a park only a couple of minutes walk from our house. Sometimes though, especially in the colder weather, it can be easy to stay indoors if you think there’s not much to do. I wanted to share some of our favourite ways to play outside, no matter what the weather is like.
Tuff Trays
It took us a while but we’ve really grown to love our Tuff Tray. We tend to use our Tuff Tray on the patio instead of the grass area of our garden as it makes any activity easier to clean up and none of us want to spend ages doing that. Over the past year or so we’ve come up with some really easy ideas that don’t cost a lot of money or need specialist items. From painting with dinosaurs to construction sites to witches potions, we’ve done a lot of different things!
Bike or scooter rides
A really fun way to get outdoors with your children is by going on bike or scooter rides. Your child might not be able to ride a bike yet and scooters are a great alternative.
The great thing about bikes is that there is usually one to suit most ages. Erin started off with a tiny bike at about 1.5, moved on to a balance bike at about 2.5 and then at age 4 she moved up to her first pedal bike with stabilisers. You can check out Vuly kids bikes for lots of inspiration.
I love that fact that you don’t even need to go far to have fun on a bike or scooter either. We have had plenty of days where all Erin does is ride up and down the street that we live on. Of course, you can go a bit further afield if you have older children or can transport bikes or scooters in a car.
Scavenger hunts
Earlier in the year we did a scavenger hunt with Erin for the very first time. We took a clip board and a printed out sheet to our local woods and tried to see what we could find. Scavenger hunts can be used for all sorts of places though so you don’t need to only use them in the woods. You could maybe take one to the beach, to the park or maybe even just walking around your local neighbourhood. The great thing about scavenger hunts is that you don’t even need a printer to be able to do them. You can always write/ draw one yourself!
Mud Kitchens
We bought Erin her mud kitchen for her 3rd birthday (maybe Christmas, I can’t remember) and she has played with it so much since then. During lockdown this year I decided to give the mud kitchen a makeover as it was looking a bit shabby. We upgraded it to have some extra storage hooks, new accessories and a fresh colour with the paint and it only cost £20 to do. Mud kitchens can be used in lots of different ways too and Erin manages to find all kinds of things around the garden to use with hers. She’s more than happy to put a coat and wellies on and get out even if it’s drizzling a bit.
Old school games
Growing up I remember being so happy in the garden with a box of chalks and drawing on the paving stones. You can do a lot with a box of chalks though. Hopscotch is always a fun favourite as is drawing picture! You can make an obstacle course of sorts with a box of chalks too if you have enough space to draw different things to move to. Maybe your child could practice their writing on the floor as well. If it rains? Well, you’ve got a blank canvass ready to go for the next day!
Do your children enjoy playing outdoors? What do they like doing the most?