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(1) Intentional Teaching for Preschool_1 Hour

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FREE Free Enrollment or pay in installments:

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Child Care Videos | Child Care Technical Assistance Network

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In the following video clip, two teachers sit together, discuss and document their observations of infants and toddlers in their care. Below are some sample questions related to the video clip and the value of documenting observations of individual children. It may be helpful to watch the video m…

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It has been more than two years since I wrote about a Giant Sponge in the sensory table. A Giant Sponge is simply a big piece of foam cut…

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"Roots of Resilience: The Journey of a Tiny Seed"

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Cause and Effect
The relationship between two actions and/or events where action/event A (cause) makes action/event B (effect) happen or where action/event B is the result of action/event A.

Takes action to cause events
Example: Child pushes snack off highchair tray

Recognizes that a simple conditional (e.g. "if...then") connects a condition to an outcome
Example: Child pushes snack off highchair tray and watches dog eat it

Identifies what made the event happen
Example: Child playing in sand box requests a cup of water to make more of the sand hold together

Form and Function
Form and function considers the characteristics of living and non-living things, and how these characteristics affect how they function.

Explores the characteristics and properties of observable systems in the living and non-living world
Example: Child exploring how to hold the spoon

Recognizes that the structure (i.e., characteristics such as shape and materials) of living and non-living things affects how they function for a specific purpose
Example: Adult asks child while holding a spoon and a fork, "Which one do you think would be best to use to eat cereal?" Child chooses the spoon.

Identifies how the structure (i.e., characteristics such as shape and materials) of living and non-living things affects how they function for a specific purpose
Example: Child identifies why would they use a spoon instead of a fork for eating cereal
Connections
"Connections" focuses on relationships and patterns. These are noticed intuitively at first and more explicitly as children develop. Children make connections between pieces of information that come through one or more senses, predictable event order, characteristics and properties that help children classify, or patterns in natural phenomena that allow for prediction.

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Cause and Effect The relationship between two actions and/or events where action/event A (cause) makes action/event B (effect) happen or where action/event B is the result of action/event A. Takes action to cause events Example: Child pushes snack off highchair tray Recognizes that a simple conditional (e.g.

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Fun Engaging Activies-

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28 Days of STEM Activities and STEAM Activities for Kids

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28 Days of STEM Activities and STEAM Activities for Kids is loaded with hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math projects perfect for the classroom and at home. The kids are gonna love this!

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Great Visual to Self Check

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process vs product compare contrast hand out

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Great Site for Fun Activies

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Welcome to Making Learning Fun:
An early childhood education website filled with free printables designed to do just that,

Whether you are a parent, teacher, or childcare provider, you'll love our site filled with educational printables and activities for the children you love. You'll find that pre-kindergarten through first grade students will enjoy our activities most, but you'll find yourself having fun too!

For learning tips follow the link for
Making Learning Fun: The Blog

Supporting this site:

Making Learning Fun seeks to provide free learning activities to early childhood educators. Visitors to the site enjoy unlimited access free of charge.
However, you can also help keep the site operating by purchasing items through the Amazon links throughout the site as Amazon credits this site a percentage of your total purchase. Thank you!

Thanks for stopping by and remember to check back often! You can receive email updates by joining our mailing list. We are overflowing with new ideas and are eager to share them with you and the children in your life.

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Whether you are a parent, teacher, or childcare provider, you'll love our site filled with educational printables and activities for the children you love. You'll find that pre-kindergarten through first grade students will enjoy our activities most, but you'll find yourself having fun too!

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Are you a teacher looking to expand your lessons beyond the classroom walls? Perhaps you are a parent or caregiver looking to revamp your own outdoor space this season. Or maybe you have no particular designated outdoor space at all but want to bring some nature based learning on-the-go. Either way, I am excited to share some fresh air and fresh ideas for creating your own outdoor classroom. While the word "classroom" often gives forth an image of sitting sedentary at a desk with a pencil and paper at hand, I truly believe some of the most valuable learning experiences come from an opportunity to move, explore, discover, and create. Nature is a fabulous place for this to occur!

As the weather warms in many places, we all have the itch to get outside and play. Research shows that children who are given ample time and space to play and explore in nature are learning and developing as well. There are a plethora of resources and research on the topic available at naturalstart.org.

Setting Up Your Outdoor Classroom

But where do you begin?

Let's break it down into seven main categories and I'll take you through it (and through my own outdoor classroom) step by step:

1. Plant, Tend & Grow a Garden in your Outdoor Classroom:

Whether you've gardened before or have a brown thumb, whether you have a huge yard or a small pot, I encourage you to plant, tend and grow something with your children.

Gardens are a place where multiple areas of learning can happen all at once, without specific planning. Through gardening, we learn about the process and miracle of a tiny seed growing into a plant, a flower, a fruit or a vegetable, perhaps even a tree.

We meet our "neighbors" in many forms. We experience the farm to table journey whether or not we have the farm. Gardens are truly a place of wonder and fascination.

A few things to consider as you set out to plant, tend, and grow your garden:

What should I plant?

When it comes to planting with children, you should plant whatever you want! Don't be afraid to fail-it can and it will happen, even to an experienced gardener.

I would recommend starting off simply and not biting off more than you can chew. Consider planting flowers that attract helpful pollinators and support native species in your area.

Maybe you'd like to plant a food garden with vegetables, herbs and fruits. Perhaps you might pick a few favorites or try a new variety. I would recommend against planting something you don't like to eat.

If you end up with an abundance and more than you can use, sharing among neighbors and friends is a great way to build community.

Related post on What to Plant: Five Senses in the Garden
Utilize community and written resources.

2. Literacy Outside in your Outdoor Classroom:

Reading and writing tend to be indoor activities, but they don't have to be restricted to a location with four walls and a roof.

Here are some ways to encourage reading and writing outdoors in your yard and beyond:

Garden signs for a print rich environment

Using signage in your garden and yard is a great way to expose your little learners to literacy through printed word. Even pre-readers can appreciate labels and signs in print, especially if they include pictures as well.

There are many creative ways to make your own garden signs, whether it's to label your plants, different learning areas or even as an art installment.

Early writers may love the opportunity to participate in creating garden signs.

Chalk is a great medium for outdoor writing/drawing.

I keep a tightly sealing tin stocked with chalk in a variety of sizes and colors at the ready for outdoor play. It can be used on pavement, walls, fences and sidewalks and will wash away at the next rain!

Letter and word rocks and/or manipulatives.

One great way to bring letters and literacy outdoors on a shoestring budget is to write letters and/or words (even draw pictures) on rocks with acrylic paint pen.

One of my favorite first ways to introduce this is with the letters in your children's names.

From there, you can work a whole alphabet, word rocks for building sentences, stories or poetry and even illustrated story rocks for accompanying a good book or creating your own outdoor story.

Letter manipulatives from indoors can also be brought outside, like alphabet magnets or blocks. These are great for outdoor letter/word scavenger hunts!

Bring a book!

Whether it's a field guide, a nature themed children's book or just some of your usual favorites, there's no reason you can't bring books outside.

Consider setting up a cozy outdoor area especially for reading if you have a covered and shady location and the space/budget to include some cozy places to sit and read.

Nature journals and clipboards

These are great ways to bring literacy and writing outdoors and on the go.

Garden observation station

Create a Garden Observation Station for recording weather, garden, wildlife or other nature updates and news using a dry erase board or chalk board.

Markers or chalk can be stored in an airtight container.

If you wish to create a permanent sign/label on it you can do so with acrylic paint pen and a spray of acrylic adhesive to preserve it.

Ideally, this will do best long term in an area with some overhead coverage/protection from the elements.

Chalk boards and dry erase boards can often be found inexpensively at secondhand stores or on discount at big box stores. If they are also magnetic, this is great place to use magnetic letters or words for magnetic poetry as well.

3. Math Outside in your Outdoor Classroom

Math outside is more natural than you'd think!

Nature is abundant in loose parts and manipulatives for counting, grouping, weighing, measuring, creating geometric shapes and more.

Plastic rulers and tape measures can be made available for measuring plant growth, circumference of a tree trunk, area of a garden bed.

A balance scale can be brought out to compare weights of different produce. (How many cherry tomatoes does it take to equal the weight of one large tomato?)

Bringing out some tools from indoors can also enrich mathematical thinking and learning outside.

Planting seeds encourages counting by twos.

Designing flower gardens can encourage pattern recognition.

Can you sort a collection of pine cones by size from small to large?

Can you use a stick as a tool of measurement and measure how tall your friend is?

Can you use sticks or rocks to trace shapes drawn in chalk?

Opportunities for measurement, sorting/comparison, estimation, math operations, fractions, patterns and more are everywhere you look in nature-and you needn't look far:

4. Science Outside in Your Outdoor Classroom

This one seems almost self-explanatory. Nature and the garden are full of scientific discoveries waiting to be made by scientists young and old alike.

You could create an entire year's worth of science curriculum by planting, growing, harvesting and seed saving/preserving your garden harvest or observing seasonal changes in trees or animal behavior.

Some creative and simple additions to your outdoor space can also encourage scientific discovery and observation:

Weather Station

Create a weather station to explore wind, rain accumulation, temperature and weather patterns.

You can document what you see in your nature journal or at your garden observation station board, or simply bring it into natural conversation.

Outdoor thermometers and rain gauges are often available at dollar stores in the spring.

One way to learn about and appreciate different types of weather in all seasons is to get outside in different types of weather in all seasons.

A popular Scandinavian proverb reminds us that " there's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing."

Follow their lead and run with it!

Children ask a billion questions outdoors. Don't be afraid to say you don't know-but don't stop there either.

If your little one stumps you with a question about tree stumps, venture on to the library or the internet to learn more.

If your child has a particular interest, infuse your outdoor experience with books, learning opportunities and maybe even some local field trips to explore the topic further.

Sensory experiences

While many outdoor experiences might be plagued by warnings to keep off the grass or not touch the plants, your outdoor space can be one that encourages a hands (nose, mouth, ears and eyes) on approach.

Consider allowing your young master gardeners their very own plot or pot to tend.

Create a snipping garden with a selection of small/inexpensive plants, flowers or herbs that are OK to be cut and harvested for mud pies, fairy potions and other important uses.

Here are some more great ideas on Using All Five Senses in the Garden!

Tools for Observation, Collection and Documentation

These can be stored outdoors with a little creativity and ingenuity.

Some ideas for what tools to include can be found below in the list of items to include in your Nature-on-the-Go kits.

Many items can withstand the elements and those that need a bit more protection can be stored in plastic pencil pouches, sealed containers or under covered/shaded areas.

5. Play outdoors in the Outdoor Classroom

Creating an outdoor space that sparks wonder and encourges play does not need to break your back or your budget. You might consider some of the following ideas:

MUD PLAY-just add water!

I am a huge fan of dirt in all forms, especially mud.

You might set up a designated mud kitchen or just supply some pots, pans and spoons for mixing a nice pile of dirt and a water source.

Your kids may come in covered from head to toe, but research points increasingly to the many health benefits-both physical and emotional-of playing in dirt and mud!

Small World Play

Small world play with natural and manufactured loose parts is a great way to spark wonder in the garden.

Tiny toys and people and animals brought from indoors can ignite the imagination of little ones playing outdoors.

Fairy gardens and fairy houses can be created with thought and intention or on the go after a yard or neighborhood scavenger hunt to collect materials.

Fairy gardens and fairy houses can be created with thought and intention or on the go after a yard or neighborhood scavenger hunt to collect materials.

Create an "I Wonder" Station

Don't be overwhelmed or alarmed if your children don't naturally take to playing and exploring independently outdoors.

Creating an "I Wonder" Station can turn your outdoor classroom into a real destination!

I love using a simple plant hook with a sign.

a book and activity,

an intriguing question or idea,

some silks and fabrics for building forts or making costumes,

some puppets for an outdoor puppet show,

some little fairies and dollhouse furniture to add to small world play...

Add on a basket with:

Dramatic Play

Dramatic play outdoors can be set up just as it would indoors.

You may need to take into consideration toys and tools that can be left in the elements versus ones that need to be sheltered inside.

A mud kitchen could become a restaurant-children could even write/draw menus and recipe books to be laminated and used.

An outdoor table could also turn into a mad scientist's lab with containers for mixing colorful water and baking soda/vinegar potions or a tool bench for young woodworkers to build or a potting shed with recycled pots, gardening tools and artificial flowers or fruits/vegetables for growing, harvesting and potting.

I like to hold to the motto here (and in all areas of learning) that anything you can do inside can be brought outside. It simply requires some extra planning and creativity.

6. Art Outside in the Outdoor Classroom

Art is all around us in the outdoor classroom. Inspiration has been found in nature for as long as time itself.

Art can be in the form of painting, sculpture, loose parts arrangement, photography and more.

You can create art that is permanent and brought indoors to display or displayed outdoors in your yard or garden.

Expose your little learners to some of the great nature inspired artists.

Creative Work Surfaces

Consider different working surfaces and environments such as portable easels for vertical work, clipboards and sketchbooks for art on the go and even how working in different spaces and at different times of day can encourage a different artistic experience.

Go BIG, and get Messy!

BIG Art and Messy Art projects are perfect for outdoors!

You're likely to have more space outside for large scale art projects and it's also a great space for messier art projects.

Think foot painting instead of fingerpainting.

Or "paint" balloon tossing.

Or "fly swatter splat painting."

Just be mindful to clean up anything that could be harmful to the environment.

Create with Natural Materials

Art with natural materials can be a great way to create outdoors.

Sure, nature provides an incredible muse for capturing beauty on paper (or canvas)-but what about ditching the paint brushes for some nature-made "brushes" using cut flowers, pine cones or interesting leaves and branches?

7. Bringing it INSIDE or On-the-Go

Sure, many of us would like to stay outside forever, but eventually we do need to go inside. Here are a few ways you might consider bringing a bit of the outdoors in with you:

Bring a bit of nature indoors

Nature inspired activities inside can include using items from nature or nature-themed in learning and play.

Perhaps you set up an indoor still life or set out a basket of tree "blocks" and natural loose parts for building and designing.

Maybe you plant and grow an indoor fairy garden, terrarium or herb garden in your kitchen window.

A Nature Table

Set up a Nature Table that includes items both found outdoors in nature and nature-inspired ones created or found indoors.

Change out your Nature Table through the seasons and year to capture changes outside and important family celebrations or traditions.

Head to the Kitchen

Cook, bake or create with your garden harvest!

From homemade breads, jams, cookies, build your own salad or pizza nights and even homemade playdough-you can use elements collected from your garden and even (carefully) foraged to create recipes to eat or play with.

Go on a Nature Based Field Trip

Nature based field trips are another category I include in "bringing it inside."

Visiting the garden nursery, the library, the farmer's market or produce stand, even local farms, museums and public gardens are all ways you can bring nature based learning with you after it's time to come inside.

Make a Nature-on-the-Go Kit

Nature-on-the-Go Kits can be prepared and ready to take along to the park, the woods, the farmers' market or botanical garden center.

You can keep it small and simple, stored inside of a pencil pouch or go a little larger with a backpack or bin.

A notepad, clipboard and paper or nature journal

Masking tape or double sided tape for sticking small treasures into your nature journal. Masking tape can also be wrapped loosely around a wrist, sticky side out to create a nature bracelet with small leaves and flowers.

Pencils, colored pencils and other writing/drawing implements

A washable inkpad for making nature stamps out of seed pods, leaves and other small textured natural treasures

A broken crayon for tree bark or leaf rubbings

A small tin of clay or playdough for making nature prints or sculptures with found materials

Magnifying glasses, binoculars, prism lenses or other means of taking a closer observation

Containers with and without ventilation for collection and observation of found items (or temporary collection of living critters, keeping safety and supervision in mind)

A field guide specific to your local area-there are great ones made especially for children to use found at your local library or bookstore

Here are some ideas of items to include:

As the seasons shift into the warmer months in many places, we can all feel the itch to get outdoors. Now that you're well on your way to infusing that space with opportunities for learning and play, you no longer have to feel it is a break from the important tasks of learning, but rather a destination for them!

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Creating Your Own Outdoor Classroom - Fantastic Fun & Learning

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Are you a teacher looking to expand your lessons beyond the classroom walls? Perhaps you are a parent or caregiver looking to revamp your own outdoor space this season. Or maybe you have no particular designated outdoor space at all but want to bring some nature based learning on-the-go.

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Learn

Know

You can do many things to help children experience nature and learn in the outdoors. Children spend as much as two hours per day outdoors in many programs. This is valuable time for children to develop their large muscles and sophisticated play skills. Much of what you do in the classroom can be easily translated to the outdoor environment. You do that by incorporating safety, design, space and accessibility.

Safety

Evaluate your outdoor learning environments. Make sure the equipment is safe and the environment is free from preventable risks. You must consider fall zones, surfacing, access to shade and the condition of materials and equipment. The Safety course contains detailed information regarding what to check in outdoor environments to assure children's safety prior to outdoor play.

In some settings, your playground may be used by the community during the evening; perhaps your program shares a community park. Even if your playground is protected by a fence, it is still possible that hazardous materials could find their way onto the playground. Before you take children outside, you must be vigilant about inspecting the playground each day. Look for:

Debris (glass, cigarette butts, litter, building supplies)

Animal excrement and other foreign material

Mulch that is spread too thin

Standing water, ice or snow

Surfaces that are too hot or cold for children to touch safely

Natural objects that might cause harm (sharp rocks, stumps, roots, branches)

Unsafe insects (anthills, beehives, wasp nests)

Ditches, holes, wells and traps

Exposed power lines or utility equipment

Remember to check the temperature of play surfaces. Metal or plastic slides, benches and poured concrete surfaces can get very hot and very cold. Inspect surfaces for cracks caused by temperature changes or water damage.

You should begin each day by carefully inspecting outdoor play areas and equipment. This will help prevent major injuries or accidents. Walk around your outdoor play area and use the safety checklist provided by your program or the one in the Safety course. Talk about what you see with a trainer, coach or supervisor.

Design

Carefully design outdoor learning areas to support a full range of children's play and activities. You can create interest areas, much as you do for your indoor space. For preschool, these areas might include sand, water, wheeled toys, games, construction, woodworking, quiet activities, science and nature (Dodge et al., 2010). Many of the same materials you provide indoors can be used to promote engagement outdoors.

An outdoor quiet activities interest area, for example, could consist of baskets of books in the shade under a tree. An outdoor dramatic play interest area could incorporate props such as blankets, picnic baskets, plastic dishes, utensils and dress-up clothes. You can also incorporate traditional outdoor toys into these interest areas. For example, you could create an outdoor art or writing interest area with sidewalk chalk, or you could incorporate bubble solution and wands of various shapes and sizes into an outdoor discovery/science interest area. Another idea would be to set up an outdoor science and nature center in which children can investigate materials found outdoors (e.g., leaves, sticks, seed pods) using magnifying glasses, scissors, etc. Found natural materials could also be used in an outdoor art interest area in which children can trace, draw or make rubbings or prints of these materials.

Space

Make the most of the space you have. Not all outdoor spaces are ideal, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for a playground with only metal play structures and asphalt. Get creative! Your local home improvement store can be a great resource. Consider filling plastic rain gutters with dirt and letting children use them as planters or sensory bins. Ask volunteers to install bird feeders or raised garden beds.

Your outdoor play space will foster creative play if you include "loose parts," or open-ended play materials (recycled cardboard boxes, crates, PVC pipes, milk cartons) children can use for construction (Maxwell, Mitchell, & Evans, 2008). Enclosed spaces (e.g., playhouses, forts) that are a fixed part of the playground-or, even better, that have been constructed by children themselves-foster dramatic play. As much as possible, providing play equipment that can "become" multiple things in children's play tends to foster creativity. If you have the opportunity to help pick play equipment, try to avoid items and structures that embody one idea (e.g., a pirate ship climber), and instead choose items that can take on multiple identities (e.g., more simple play structures).

It is also important to include equipment that will help children work on their gross-motor skills. Gross-motor skills are those that involve large muscle movements of the body and include running, jumping, throwing and maintaining balance. Fixed playground equipment is not necessary for children to experience high levels of physical activity outside. In fact, children are often most physically active when they play with portable equipment such as balls, bicycles, hula hoops, etc. (Kreichauf et al., 2012).

Accessibility

Just as in the classroom, you must ensure your outdoor spaces are organized for independence, easy use and learning. Children must be able to easily access materials and equipment. Outdoor paths, walkways and stairs should be clearly marked and free of obstruction. It is important to make sure gross-motor play can happen safely in one area without disrupting play in another area. For example, a tricycle path should not go right through an area where children are drawing with chalk. You also want to separate the quiet activities (art, chalk, blocks, sand) from the loud and active activities (ball play, bikes, running). Also, remember to include smocks in strategic areas; offering smocks or old shirts can help some children (and families) feel more comfortable with messy outdoor art, sensory or science ideas (e.g., mud play or exploration).

The size and level of gross-motor equipment must be developmentally appropriate for the children in your classroom. There should be enough gross-motor equipment (e.g., bikes) that children can use the equipment without a long wait. Outdoor toys such as balls and props for dramatic play can be placed in easy access bins, buckets or containers. This will also make it easy for children to help clean up when it is time to go back inside. As discussed for indoor environments, labeling the baskets or bins you use outdoors can facilitate clean-up and create a print-rich environment.

Consider the needs of individual children. Some children, especially those with disabilities or special needs, may have difficulties in the outdoor environment. You can make adaptations for these children just as you would in the classroom. You can adjust the materials and spaces (install a wheelchair-accessible swing, install railings, lower a water table) to best fit their needs. As discussed in the Indoor Environment lesson, talk with children's families and your trainer, coach or supervisor to determine what modifications may be necessary. Also, because as outdoor play spaces can let children use their louder voices and "let loose," make sure you have calming spaces available outside, perhaps with an accompanying bin of soothing materials. For more information, see the Kids Included Together materials ( https://www.kit.org/who-we-are/our-work/).

Video not available
Watch how outdoor spaces can be an extension of the classroom.

See

Watch how preschool programs make the most of outdoor space.

Do

Offer a range of opportunities for outdoor play:

Offer dramatic play, sand and water, blocks and music and movement outdoors.

Find natural opportunities for discovery and science. Notice the insects, animals, mud and natural materials on your playground.

Provide materials that allow for large- and small-muscle play. Have a variety of bicycles, balls and other toys.

Offer interesting and unique experiences: plant a garden, build a stage for plays or create an obstacle course.

Explore

Apply

Term

Description

Adaptation

An adaptation is a change you make to the environment or materials that helps a child be more successful

Enclosed spaces

Small spaces with multiple entrances and exits (e.g., playhouses, forts) separated from the rest of the play space by walls or partitions that tend to foster dramatic play. For supervision and safety, these should be open enough to provide good visibility

Fine-motor skills

The ability to use fingers and hands well

Gross-motor skills

Gross-motor skills are those that involve large muscle movements of the body, and include running, jumping, throwing and maintaining balance

Loose parts

Open-ended play materials children can use for construction, such as recycled cardboard boxes, crates, PVC pipes and milk cartons

Demonstrate

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The Outdoor Environment: Designing For Learning | VLS

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Learn You can do many things to help children experience nature and learn in the outdoors. Children spend as much as two hours per day outdoors in many programs. This is valuable time for children to develop their large muscles and sophisticated play skills.

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Are you looking to spend more time outside in your childcare program? Whether you you just want to update your outdoor space, or intentionally want to create your own outdoor classroom-there is nothing quite like spending your learning time outside! The warm sun on your face, a gentle breeze, and nature buzzing all around you.

Just as you set up learning spaces inside, you can set them up outside as well! Keep reading to find some fun ways to design your own responsive outdoor spaces for art, dramatic play, engineering, science, reading, music, and of course-physical development with a little elbow grease, and creativity.

Depending on your budget you can invest in an acrylic outdoor easel, or DIY your own that will withstand the weather.

As an alternative, you can bring your indoor easel outside with you, or attach clips to your fence to hold paper, and supplies.

If you are short on space, create an outdoor tote or cart that contains a variety of paintbrushes, paint, T-shirt smocks, and side walk chalk.

A fun alternative to an easel, is an outdoor chalkboard! Create your own using chalkboard paint!

Bring the Art outside! Even if you don't have a dedicated outdoor art space, you can bring your art projects outside. You can create art outside during all seasons. Some ideas include: painting snow, making collages from fall leaves, and sun prints in the summer.

Sheena W. of Building Blocks Family Childcare shared the above process art project. She filled pantyhose with sand, the children dipped the end into paint and dropped it onto the paper.

Alegria P. has added some storage,
and a place for creating art to her covered outdoor area.
What a beautiful space to create art in!

Being outside fills children's lungs with fresh air, and allows them to use their large muscles for running and climbing.
Make sure your outdoor space should be equipped to allow the children to explore the area independently.

There are a variety of outdoor structures available to meet the gross motor needs of the children in your care. A quality play structure is a great investment in your business. They often include a slide, swings, climbing walls, and built in play houses. Keep in mind most states have requirements for safety surfacing when adding structures over a certain height.

If you don't have a lot of space for a structure: consider a tunnel, balance beam, trikes, cozy coupes, wagons, other ride on toys,tires, low stumps for climbing, or a natural slide built into your existing landscape.
Other items to have on hand for outdoor play include:

Music brings such joy! Create a music wall in your backyard, by securing a variety of recycled items to a wall or fence. If you don't have space to dedicate to a music wall, consider a portable option such as a tote filled with plastic instruments, a small battery operated radio, or pans and wooden spoons for an impromptu marching band.

This fabulous music wall was created by
community member Annie B.

Create a space outside for your children to gather. Group activities are fun outside! Your gathering area can be as simple as a picnic blanket on the lawn-to something as elaborate as an outdoor covered area.

An outdoor picnic table provides a place to serve outdoor snacks, and meals. It also provides a quiet space for children to draw or do a table top activity while outside.

Children love to dig!
In addition to Sandboxes, you can also create dig pits filled with wood chips, or gravel for digging and filling.

Provide an assortment of loose building materials for hauling, building, and sorting such as:

Provide boxes, crates, scoops, strainers, wagons, and buckets for hauling and digging. Give children free range to engineer their own toys, and explore these items.

Lori C. has plenty loose parts on hand for open ended play.

Provide small pretend people. animals, and accessories for creating a small worlds in your outdoor space.

Let their imaginations run free with open ended spaces for dramatic play. A playhouse can be furnished with an outdoor friendly kitchen, dolls, and play food. An open ended playhouse can become a Grocery Store, Movie Theater, Restaurant, or Post Office (Just provide a prop box).

This well stocked outdoor kitchen belongs
to member Alegria P. adding an outdoor rug, and bistro set makes it a cozy place to play.

A mud kitchen provides hours of outdoor fun. A plastic kitchen set, plastic crate or small outdoor table can become an instant mud kitchen. For a small space, consider a clear plastic bin that can be transformed into a "pretend oven"-store your cooking items inside for an easy pick up.

You can find many items for your outdoor dramatic play area from thrift stores, yard sales, or handed down from your clients.
Provide a box of items for outdoor dramatic play such as:

You can inspire children to perform by creating a back yard theater. A simple shower curtain on a rod or clothesline will do the trick! Provider a box of costumes, and props, or a box of instruments for an impromptu backyard concert.

Create a children's garden in your space. Plant vegetables that the children can observe, care for and eventually eat as part of their snack. If you are limited on space consider container gardening, or a grow bag for a temporary garden. Provide the children with tools, seeds, and watering cans to care for their plants. You can create a simple DIY watering can from a milk jug with a few holes punched into the bottom.

Bring your sensory table outside, or invest in a small water table for children to explore water. and other sensory experiences in the great outdoors!

This adorable outside sitting area belongs to member Alegria P.

Create a comfy and cozy place for children to read books outside!

This adorable outdoor reading area belongs to group member Amanda M.

If you are short on space consider adding a
basket of of books to a shaded area.

An outdoor easel or chalkboard makes a great
space for writing practice.

Amanda M shared a photo of her outdoor space. Some chalk and brick wall easily become a place for practicing letters.

Having an outdoor table and chairs provides a space for writing, and drawing.

Community member Lori C. added a basket of outdoor chalk to her space, perfect for impromptu writing or drawing outside! She also provides paintbrushes and water for writing.

If you are short on space you can add items to a tote such as writing instruments, clipboards, notepads, and chalkboard slates.

With a little bit of planning and creativity you can spend the majority of your day outside learning!

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Are you looking to spend more time outside in your childcare program? Whether you you just want to update your outdoor space, or intentionally want to create your own outdoor classroom-there is nothing quite like spending your learning time outside! The warm sun on your face, a gentle breeze, and nature buzzing all around you.