Creative Fun for Little Ones
Outside is the Best Side
Discover simple ways to invite nature into your daily play and create lasting memories under the sun or stars.
Fresh Air Activities
Let's face it - magnets are cool and a great way to sneak in a little science lesson. Find a magnet that is large & interesting enough for little hands to carry around and not lose. Mamaw uses these magnet wands for a lot of different activities since the set comes with 5 wands and 500 colorful chips. Explain a little about magnet concepts, like:Â
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The Invisible Force: Explain that a magnet has a secret, invisible superpower called magnetism. It acts like an invisible hand or an "invisible hug" that can reach out & grab certain objects without even touching them first.
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Every magnet has two opposite sides, usually called the North and South poles. If you put two opposite sides together (North and South), they love each other and snap together with a quick click! This is called attracting. If you try to push the same two sides together (North to North), they get stubborn and push each other away. This is called repelling.
Then walk around your yard or a park playing, 'Does It Stick?'. Here is a free printable checklist to get you started.
Magnet Fun Outside
Chalk Gallery
Turn your driveway into a masterpiece with giant rainbows and squiggles from sidewalk chalk. Sometimes, it is nice to have stencils to get the creative juices flowing. My oldest grandson loves to make tracks for his cars or wants us to make obstacle courses for him to enjoy. Don't forget to add a water element by drawing things like fire, so the kiddos can extinguish them with a squirt bottle. Cleanup is half the fun!
Outdoor Obstacle Course
Creating an outdoor obstacle course can burn off energy while developing motor skills. This is a go-to activity with my grands.Â
How to Set Up:
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Incorporate playground equipment as part of the course.
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Include jumping over sidewalk cracks or or crawling under picnic tables.
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Use sidewalk chalk on the ground to create jumping boxes or balance beams.
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Make it a fun challenge by timing how fast they can complete it. You can find a fun, kid-friendly timer here. Also, you can find a free race tracking sheet here to record those personal records.
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Don't forget to create a finish line from crepe paper that they can crash through each time!
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If you want some real obstacles that could also be used outdoors, check out these tent & tunnels, step logs, stepping stones and small hula hoop circles.
Garden Picnic
Lunch tastes better on a blanket! Even if it’s just the back porch. Bring along a couple of books or puzzles for a leisurely meal or put on a kiddo playlist to add some energy. And whatever you do - don't forget the snacks! Here are a few of my grandsons' favorite snack containers:
Nature Hunt
Find three smooth stones, a yellow leaf, and a twig shaped like a 'Y'. Get some Scavenger hunt ideas for the smallest kiddos here.
Races
The simplest fun! A timer turns everything into a challenge! Challenge kiddos to all types of races. How fast can they run around the outside of your house? How fast can they go up the driveway & back while dribbling a ball? How fast can they do an obstacle course? How fast can they run backwards to a tree & back? How quickly can they kick 3 balls into a net? The options are limitless. Here is a free printable so they can track their progress over time and record their personal records.
Mamaw's Pro Tip
Keep a small basket by the door with sunscreen, hats, and a spare pair of socks—it makes saying 'yes' to spontaneous outdoor play so much easier!