“She’s tickling me,” my 3-year-old giggled as the ladybug delicately roamed around her wrist. That little spotted beetle kept up the journey and my toddler’s attention for a good 10 minutes before flying away. Then Emmy and I went on the hunt for another one. We spent about an hour together in the back yard, finding all sorts of creatures.
Sometimes, with little ones, outdoor play happens spontaneously. After all, everything sparks awe and wonder as they scan the world with brand-new eyes. However, as moms, we know it can be helpful to approach the day with a plan. Add these 10 outdoor activities for toddlers to your play list this season!
1. Pour out the fun.
Gather cups, containers, and funnels of different sizes. Fill a cooler or kiddie pool with water and let your toddler scoop, dump, and splash away. Squirt in some dishwashing liquid and watch the excitement bubble up. Need more water games? We got you.
2. Have POP-ular play on a windy day.
Who says kites get to have all the fun when the wind blows? Chase bubbles on a windy day instead. Bubbles offer more than a boost to the fun factor, too. Each time your toddler pops a bubble, she’s learning about cause and effect. If she does this, then that will happen. Plus, she gets lots of practice moving her body as she reaches, jumps, and runs to catch those bubbles blowing around. (By the way, these movement activities for kids work great on a windy day, too.)
3. Plan for a dino-mite good time.
Place small plastic dinosaurs in a tray filled with water. Place the tray in the freezer until frozen. With your help, let your child excavate the dinosaurs. Experiment with different options. Add salt to the ice. Pour on a little warm (not too hot!) water. Chisel the ice with a spoon.
4. Get ’em workin’ at the [pint-sized] car wash.
Line up 10 toy cars and give your child a rag, water, and dish soap. And, hey, why not add your car or a tricycle to the mix? Or how about giving those action figures a little scrub-a-dub, too?
5. Squirt paint for your little squirt.
Fill up squirt bottles with different colored paints. In the grass, put down a tarp or plastic tablecloth. Then, put a large piece of paper, flattened cardboard box, or poster board on it, and invite your child to use those squeeze bottles to create art.
6. Set the stage for a fairy tale.
Build a tiny fairy house together. Gather sticks, mud, flowers, rocks, moss, leaves, pinecones—basically anything you and your toddler can find outside can be used to build a tiny outdoor fairy house. (Pixie dust optional.) Need a little inspiration? This Boston mom and her two kids offer some great ideas.
7. Have a muddy good time.
Splish-splash, your little one will be taking a bath…later. Outdoor activities for toddlers often involve a little messy mayhem. After a summer downpour, take advantage of the post-rain mud and grab the buckets and shovels for some mudpies, mud castles, or whatever else your child creates. Or, why wait for the rain? Make your own mud puddles.
8. Box in the creativity.
Save up those cardboard boxes from all those online orders. Get washable paint, sponges, and paint brushes and invite your toddler to create a playhouse or fort out of the boxes and paint. Be prepared for your child to bring his creation inside or at least in the garage to play with the next day!
9. Hunt and gather by the numbers.
Ask your child to pick a number between 1 and 10. Then, go on the hunt for that number of a specific object in your back yard or park. For example, find five pinecones, five rocks, five green leaves, and five sticks.
10. Watch ‘em wiggle. See ’em jiggle.
If you’re looking for outdoor activities for toddlers to do on a playdate, this one needs to be on your list! Grab that kiddie pool, large plastic storage bin, or water table. Make ahead three to four boxes of Jello in different colors. Dump the wiggly creations in the pool (the Jello, not the toddlers), along with spoons, whisks, measuring cups, and maybe even a toy or two. Then, let the squishy fun begin by adding the other wiggly creations (the toddlers!) to the mix.
How do you balance safety and exploration when engaging in outdoor activities for toddlers?
