by Julia H.
Hey, I don't know if you had noticed, but we're deep into rainy season, right in the thick of the chilly and drizzly bits, and still relatively short on daylight hours. At this point, I am running out of outside play ideas that are motivating enough for me to want to go outside. The kids are fine, naturally, but since they are still young enough to require some supervision, it helps everyone if I think the outside activities look fun, too. So, here are some ideas I found via the magic of internet search engines for stuff to do outside that sounds awesome:
- Build a mud castle! Bust out those sand toys and find an awesome muddy spot.
- Paint with mud. Lucky enough to have a fence? This is a great opportunity to cover it with mud!
- Make a sculpture out of mud, sticks, rocks, and leaves.
- Soup/potion-making - all you need is a bucket, a stick, and a good imagination!
- Comparative Dirt Analysis - look for different types of mud and dirt, collect samples in small containers, and observe the differences and similarities between them.
- Mud experiments: how long does it take for the mud to dry out? how much water does it take to turn it back into mud?
- Mud pies - it's a classic, and you can encourage early math learning by sending along real measuring cups and spoons!
What games does your family love to play in the mud? Send us an email and your tips may be included in a future Squeak!