Ten Easy Ideas for Outdoor Play

Regular readers may remember that at the start of the year we put a lot of time and effort into Operation Garden renovation. Turning our junk heap of a garden into a nice place to be. We hoped it would be ready in time for the summer, so that a lot of time could be spent outside enjoying it. With me being pregnant we were particularly keen on this idea as it would mean that there would be days where I could easily occupy Monkey outdoors, without having to go anywhere!Β The good news is that we managed this and have already been spending a lot of time out there, doing various activities (I will list some of our favourites below).

For Monkey’s birthday in May we bought a second hand climbing frame on ebay complete with swing and slide, to have in the garden. Unfortunately with all of the illness that surrounded his birthday weekend we never actually put it up, and with one thing and another we just hadn’t ever got around to putting it up! This all changed last weekend though and we finally have a lovely climbing frame in use in our garden!

Monkey absolutely loves it. He was climbing all over it before it was even put up, and was desperately chomping at the bit to get up the steps and down the slide!!

climbing frame

For me, I love knowing I can get him outside to burn off some energy even on days when I have no energy to go anywhere!

10 Easy Ideas for Outdoor Play

Aside from our lovely climbing frame we have spent a lot of time outdoors this summer, and here are some of our favourite activities to play in the garden.

WP_20140613_11_06_52_ProRecreating the beach at home

Basically using the tuffspot and sand table as the ‘beach’ and paddling pool as the ‘sea’. Lots of fun fun to be had!

 

 

WP_20140622_12_07_47_ProCardboard Tunnel Play

Do you have spare cardboard lying around? Why not make it into a big tunnel in the back garden, plenty of space to run around and crawl through it!

 

outdoor painting this oneOutdoor Painting on Cardboard

Another use for all that fantastic spare cardboard is to use it as a big canvas and let your kids go mad and create with paint πŸ™‚ So much fun but be prepared for the clean up as it does get messy!

 

Ice Painting

 

Ice Painting

A much less messier version of painting but great on a hot day – simply mix water with food colouring and freeze, then use the ice cubes as paint!

 

coloured foam

Coloured Foam Play

A very messy one that I wasn’t remotely prepared for but Monkey did enjoy it – for a little while anyway! Not for the faint hearted but worth a go if you are feeling brave πŸ™‚

 

WP_20140803_14_03_13_ProWater Painting

A lovely simple activity and all that is needed is a brush and some water (in this case a puddle lol!) . The ultimate in mess-free outdoor play, though I guess they may get themselves a bit wet.

 

WP_20140703_17_18_29_Pro

Pavement Chalking

We obviously drew these numbers on the patio but Monkey loves drawing all sortsΒ of shapes and scribbles and lines! He also likes declaring every smiley face or stick man we draw “Mummy!” or “Daddy!”

 

WP_20140410_13_41_19_ProBubble Blowing

What child doesn’t love bubbles? Running around chasing after them, trying to pop them, stamping on them if they rest on the grass, trying to blow them themselves and sometimes succeeding!

gardening

 

Helping out in the garden

Monkey loves helping out at this age so on occasion when we need to get a few jobs done in the garden. He loves digging and weeding and carrying. keeps him busy and gets jobs done!

 

nature hunt

 

Nature Hunt

In the garden or anywhere really , little Monkey loves a nature hunt – he adores flowers at the moment, mainly dandelions and daisies bless him! Pine cones and twigs usually find their way home with us too though :).

 

There are more things I would still love to try too, like making a fantastic water wall like this one by Karen at Let Kids by Kids. I haven’t quite figured out how to rig one up in our garden…. I may try and attach one to the new climbing frame…. somehow or other!

So playing in the garden really is a very frequent ordinary moment these days, and I just love seeing Monkey potter about out there! Sometimes even just running around in circles on the grass :).

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Super Busy Mum

50 thoughts on “Ten Easy Ideas for Outdoor Play

  1. Love all these ideas- I really must get out the big chalk and do it on the drive again, Mads loved doing that last year and LL would be able to do it now. Thankyou for reminding me, hopefully we will get some more sunshine so we can get out there still! xx

    • Thank you! The cardboard painting is my fave too, love being able to let him go mad and get really messy πŸ™‚ xx

  2. What a collection of super fun ideas! I loved the cardboard tunnel idea. I know my kids would LOVE that! Must remember to keep the boxes I get next JUST for that purpose, lol! Thanks for linking up with {my hashtag button no longer works, haha} MMWBH xx

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