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Kellert (2016) suggests ongoing exposure to nature for improved overall health.

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Herrington, S., Brussoni, M. (2015). Beyond Physical Activity: The Importance of Play and Nature-Based Play Spaces for Children's Health and Development. Current Obesity Reports, 4, 477-483. doi:10.1007/s13679-015 -0179-2

Kellert, S. (2016). Biophilic urbanism: the potential to transform. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 5(1), 4-8. doi:10.1108/sasbe-10-2015-0035

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2015). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education. Toronto: Author.

Tremblay, M., Gray, C., Babcock, S., Barnes, J., Bradstreet, C., Carr, D., . . . Brussoni, M. (2015). Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6), 6475-6505. doi:10.3390/ijerph120606475

Wilson, E. O. (1993) Biophilia and the conservation ethic. In S. R. Kellert &W. O. Edward (Eds.). The biophilia hypothesis. Washington, DC: Island Press (pp. 31 – 41).

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The Ontario Ministry of Education (2015) asks teachers to, "...take students out of the classroom...to observe, explore, and appreciate nature" (p. 65). Here are some ideas.

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Sometimes the best way to sneak in a little learning is in unlikely places. How about teaching some math at the park or in your own backyard? Here are some outdoor math ideas for kids.

After a long cold winter, it finally feels like summer! My kids have been spending a lot of time outside, so I've put together this list of ways that we've done some math in the great outdoors.

Outdoor Math Ideas

Counting, Number Recognition, One-to-One Correspondence -

Count the pine cones

Under our pine trees we have thousands of tiny little pine cones. So following an idea from Peaceful Parenting, I drew boxes with the numbers 1-20 on the driveway. Then my just-turned Four worked at filling up the numbers through 10 and my Five counted pine cones for the larger numbers.

Sorting, Measurement - Sort sticks by size

Despite my nervousness around little boys and very long sticks, my Four and Five love to collect the big sticks they find in our yard and the little wooded area in the back. They rang the doorbell to show me all the sticks they had collected... and sorted by size. You could also have your child put the sticks in order from shortest to longest. You could do the same thing with leaves or wildflowers.

Measurement - Very Big & Very Small Hunt

Last spring, I printed this set of action cards and had my kids (ages 2,4, and 5 at the time) hunt for objects in the yard. They loved this very active scavenger hunt, and it was great for teaching my almost-three-year-old about size. I think we'll have to pull it out again this year! Learn more and get your free printable action cards in this post.

Patterns - Create nature patterns

Addition, Subtraction, Number Recognition -

Water Balloon Math

This game can be modified in so many different ways. Prepare some water balloons and write either a single number or an addition or subtraction fact on each one. Then write matching numbers (or answers to the addition and subtraction problems) on your driveway or sidewalk. As your child chooses a balloon he throws it on the matching number or answer.

My kids loved learning and staying cool at the same time!

Fractions - Giant Fractions on the Driveway

Fractions can be a difficult concept, but this short lesson seemed to do the trick for my Five. I drew a large rectangle on the driveway. We talked about how this was one whole rectangle. Then I divided it in two equal parts (okay, they weren't exactly equal, but the kids didn't notice). I had my Five stand in one part to show "one half." Then his sister stood in the other half to show "one half." We talked about how two halves make a whole.

Then we worked together to show different fractions. In the above picture we made "3/4."

The kids liked finding ways to make fractions all by themselves. Here my Seven is showing "4/4." This also gave us the chance to talk about equivalent fractions. "4/4" is the same thing as "one whole."

My Five likes to find any opportunity he can to demonstrate standing on his head. This worked well for "1/4."

Number Recognition, Counting -

Mr. Wolf, What Time Is It?

This game was designed for my just-turned-Four, but it wouldn't have been fun without his older siblings playing along. I had written the numbers 1-12 on pieces of construction paper. I was the Wolf and stood at the end of the yard. The kids stood facing me at the other end of the yard.

They called, "Mr. Wolf, what time is it?" Then I showed a number, and they took turns reading it. When I showed the "2," for example, one of them would say "2:00!" Then they walked toward me that number of steps.

Periodically I would put down the pages and call out "Lunch time!" At that point the kids would try to reach the tree behind me or run back to start, where they were "safe." I ran after them to try to catch them. If they reached the tree behind me safely, they could be the next Wolf.

Hint: wear shoes you can run in. This is excellent exercise for the mom.
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Outdoor Math Ideas for Kids Ages 3-7 - The Measured Mom

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Sometimes the best way to sneak in a little learning is in unlikely places. How about teaching some math at the park or in your own backyard? Here are some outdoor math ideas for kids. After a long cold winter, it finally feels like summer!

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Shared outdoor lesson plans/ideas up to grade 9+

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Shared outdoor lesson plans/ideas up to grade 9+

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Tremblay et. al. (2015) created a position statement that was, "...designed to be a foundation of credible evidence from which programs [etc.] ... can be provoked, initiated and supported" (p. 6482). Here are some further lesson ideas designed explicitly to get children outside.

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Tremblay et. al. (2015) wants to change the types of outdoor play we allow children to engage in. Here's some food for thought.

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Woodland Outdoor Kindergartens Training Academy

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Forest Kindergartens and Nature Preschools

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Open Air Learning's forest kindergarten takes place in the beautiful South Shore of Nova Scotia. It exists to nurture childrens' curiosity within the wonders of a natural environment and supports learning and nature connection through outdoor play and exploration. www.OpenAirLearning.ca

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Wilson (1993), suggests biophilia is, "...the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms" (p. 31). We can use this affiliation to increase health and provide learning opportunities

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On Thursday afternoons our Kindergarten pupils enjoy an 'Outdoor Explorers' session. We recently planted bulbs ready for spring and made our own shelter in the Natural Area. http://www.westongreenschool.org.uk/

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Designing new play environments, to stimulate and challenge

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Designing new play environments, to stimulate and challenge

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Herrington & Brussoni (2015) suggest outdoor natural play spaces provide more opportunities for unstructured play. Here are ideas for thoughtfully designing diverse affordances for developmentally beneficial play.

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The Natural Playgrounds Company | Outdoor Playground Equipment | Natural Play Environments | Alternative Playgrounds

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The Natural Playgrounds Company ® is the leading US expert in the design of innovative, environmentally sensitive natural playgrounds, natural playground elements, and outdoor classrooms for K-12 schools, communities, and childcare centers.