Summer Fun Outdoors

The summer holidays are finally here, and that means it's time to have some fun!

If you're looking for some cheap and cheerful ideas of things to do with your little one, look no further. In this blog post, you'll find several fun-filled activities that are perfect for kids under 5.

Get them gardening!

Kids love to see things grow, especially when they have planted them.

Grab a few containers and some earth or potting compost and set them off.

Using cardboard planters such as egg boxes or toilet rolls allows easy transfer to soil, tubs or window boxes.

Easy flowers to grow from seed include as sunflower, marigolds and poppies and big seeds from trees such as oak or sycamore.

These, however, take a bit of time to appear and, while beautiful, can't be eaten!

Quick and tasty edible plants include rocket (arugula), swiss chard, radish, lettuce,and herbs like parsley or chives.

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How about a  Bug Hunt?

Go on safari in the back garden or local park.  What creepy crawlies can you find?

Encourage children to go out and search by setting up a scavenger hunt. These lists are often available in your libraries and reflect what's found in your local area.

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Getting messy with paint.

Save the house cleaning...put the kids outdoors with (washable) paints and some sheets of paper and let them at it.  Guaranteed mess, so pick a hot day when you can use the garden hose!

Chalk and water is also a good choice if you have a cement or stone area.

Their artwork then remains on display until the next rainfall.

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Sensory bingo

Try some sensory bingo!

How many of the items on the wildlife trust sheet can the children find or do?

I love this because it teaches children to focus on the senses, hearing and feeling.  We are very visual beings and sometimes tune out our other senses.  This encourages kids to think about non-visual activities.

Designed to empower children who are blind or have sight problems, it is beneficial for all kids.

Download the sheet here.

Another simple game is to sit or lie down quietly with eyes closed.  Name and describe all the different sounds that can be heard!

Let's go fly a kite!

Hours of fun on a not-too-windy day.  If your kiddos are good with crafty things, they might enjoy making their own kite. Adult help is definitely needed for some of these!

There are some great kite making videos for example:   Making a paper kite

Instructions for an extra simple kite here

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And finally, there's summer reading.

As a child, I would go out in the garden with a book and hide. Hours were spent living in other world fantasies and my imagination.

Reading is a great way to help the kids calm down after hectic activities, whether they are reading for themselves, or snuggling down with a parent.

So let them grab a pile of books, a rug or some cushions and find a cosy spot to sit and read.

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