IN THIS ISSUE

PRESCHOOLERS AND THE OUTDOORS:
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR LEARNING

A Family Walking

By Jane Elyce Glasgow, MS. Ed. / Director, Tidewater Community College Child Development Lab

The sights, the sounds, the scents around us create a world of wonder for young children. Children have a natural sense of curiosity. As they work to discover and understand the world around them, the great outdoors offers many opportunities for learning. Parents often think that outside play is just an outlet for youthful energy. However, outdoor play activities provide children with a giant classroom of real-life experiences that can build knowledge, physical skills, and develop social skills as well. Their curious nature makes the wonder of things like anthills and dandelions wonderful lessons.

Simple outdoor activities can lead to meaningful learning. You can enhance playful adventures and develop strong skills by trying some of the following:

  • Talk, Talk, Talk: Talk with your children, ask questions, answer questions and describe what they are doing while using a rich vocabulary.
  • Treasure Walk: Carry a basket or bucket and collect “treasures” (leaves, rocks, buds, sticks, pinecones, etc.) you find outside. Talk about the names of each item. When you get home, count, sort and group the treasures. Make a treasure box to store items. Talk about the beginning sound of each item or help your child to label each item if they are interested.
  • Nature Sense Walk: Take a walk in the neighborhood. Ask your child what they notice and see. Stop and listen. Ask what they hear or smell. Talk about what you see. Ask questions that start with “What do you think…” Introduce new words, like names of animals or flowers.
    • A Girl with Computer
  • Plant a Garden: Using child-sized tools, allow your child to help you plant a garden of vegetables or flowers. Have them help you with the watering, weeding and picking of flowers.
  • Play “I Spy”: Describe items you see outside and have your child guess what you are describing. Allow your child to describe items for you to guess, too.
  • Sign Hunt: Point out the letters and print on street signs, park signs, billboards and store logos. Ask children to look for a certain letter or number in their environment.
  • Meet Friends at the Park: Simply playing at the park with peers helps develop social and problem solving skills. Encourage children to “plan” what they want to do at the park and engage in imaginative play.
  • Sand and Water Play: Offer opportunities to play with sand, either in a sandbox or a plastic tub with sand and sand toys. Funnels, measuring cups, and plastic shovels are great. Water play (with supervision) can be as simple as the sprinkler or hose in the yard.
  • Outdoor Art: Use sidewalk chalk. Draw pictures; write names, letters and numbers. Poster board taped to the fence is great for drawing or painting on.
  • Bubble Play: Use household items like plastic hangers, colanders and funnels in large pans of bubble solution. Help children guess which will make big bubbles and small bubbles.
  • Backyard Mazes: Make a simple obstacle course or maze for your child to navigate. Appliance boxes work great for this. Use words like around, over, under, through, above and beside when talking with children.

Be sure to record your adventures with digital photos or drawing pictures. You can create a journal of your experiences by writing down what your child tells you about the pictures. This memory of your outdoor experiences will be cherished for years to come.

READY FOR SCHOOL

READY FOR LIFE