Any parent will tell you that not all kids take to independent play at the playground. But that shouldn't stop you from getting outdoors and using that time as a playdate to explore and grow. Camp Counselor Haley shares a few of her favorite things to do ay the park with her two-year-old.
I love bringing Montessori toys for him to play and explore. We love learning new things, arts and crafts and playing soccer!
Next time you're headed to the park, try some of these outdoor-friendly activities:
Toy Cars
- Race them down the slide. Tunnel slides are awesome for this!
- Make roads and tunnels for them in the wood chips or sand. Use rocks for houses and buildings; create a whole city for the cars to travel.
- Create a car obstacle course.
A Ball
- Play Toss and Roll with your child. Have your child stand at the top of the slide and roll the ball down to you, then toss it back to them.
- Let your child stand at the bottom of the slide and try to roll the ball all the way up to you.
A Bucket
- Play reverse basketball: place a bucket at the bottom of the slide and have your child roll the ball down the slide trying to land the ball in the bucket.
- Make pretend soup, a magic potion with wood chips leaves or other natural materials.
A Jump Rope
- Play Snake in the Grass: tie one end of the jump rope the a bench or fence and wriggle it back and forth as your child tries to jump over it with out touching it.
- Place the jump rope on the ground in the shape of a circle and take turns rolling the ball trying to get in the circle without rolling it out the other side
- Tie the jump rope to the bucket and use it to haul things up to play structure.
Arts and Crafts
- Have a scavenger hunt for twigs of all sizes – fat, slender, long, and short. Pile the twigs in the middle of a picnic table, then arrange them into star shapes. Use a spool of colorful twine, thread, or yarn to tie the twigs into rustic star shapes that can later hang on a ceiling hook or plant hanger.
- You can also use this time to hunt for rocks! Decorating, searching for, and collecting painted rocks is an inexpensive and fun way to spend time with family and friends while enjoying the outdoors.
- When in doubt, you can never go wrong with a box of chalk and a bottle of bubbles!
