Back to Basics: Play Outside

Kid Clip Art

Are you tired of your kids watching too much television and wanting too many electronic techno gadgets? Do you feel queasy when an advertiser bombards your psyche demanding that you buy their product or you are not a good parent?

When I was young (decades ago) there were no bombardments at stores and on television that my mother must buy a certain program or I was doomed – or at least headed toward a slower ascent in school rather than being at an advantage – or a prestigious leader. Sure, I Love Lucy was advertising Vegameatavitamin Juice but she wasn’t pushing “educational” programs, even after she had Little Ricky. 

My parents grew up during the Depression and they followed their gut, and pocketbook. They used good old-fashion COMMON SENSE. We had many hand-me-downs, upcycled toys (never heard that word until recently) or repaired things to ride and play with – and we didn’t care. We were having fun - outdoors. My parents had five kids and we were prepared for any weather. I get it. Mom needed some alone time to wash, cook, clean and sew. She wanted us out of her hair, but it was the best possible excuse for us kids to explore and discover the great outdoors. Totally unsupervised tag-along-after-my-brothers’ excursions were my favorite.

We knew to be back around supper time and always back before dark. We shared an old canteen of water when we remembered to bring it, otherwise there were drinking fountains at the park which was 10 miles away. We rode our bicycles there often, up a very steep hill and almost never had any problems. If we encountered a problem, we solved it without cell phones. On rare occasions, if needed, we weren’t afraid to knock on a stranger’s door for help. Actually, we knew most of the people in our town or they knew someone in my large family.

Do We Live in a More Advantageous Time?

The older I become, the more I think, I had the advantage growing up in an era when outdoor play was the norm. Here’s why. Through outdoor play, I learned:

• How to communicate, share, socialize, follow game rules, and problem-solve
• Develop fine and large muscles
• Use my imagination to develop new games using whatever we had (rocks, balls, cans, sticks, chalk)
• Connect to my neighbors experiencing a sense of community and of belonging

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What Did I Play?

• Jacks (I was the Queen of Jacks – spent many hours on the front porch playing with old rusty jacks and the same golf ball)
• Jump rope
• Skates (hand-me-down metal skates with a key to adjust size – not exactly speedy)
• Bicycles (old bikes my father kept repairing)
• Dolls were carted around in wagons and buggies
• Kick the can
• Basketball, softball, catch
• Hola Hoop
• Pogo Stick
• Marbles
• Badminton
•  Croquet (We didn’t have a set but our best friends did)
• Hide and seek
• Hopscotch, laid out on sidewalks with white chalk from school.
• Collections: I loved collecting locust shells in the daytime and fireflies at night. This was in Kansas where there are plenty.

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  The Cost?

Practically nothing in terms of money – huge in terms of development. Free Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children without Going Nuts with Worry by Lenore Skenazy is full of research - and humor. This is quoted from her book: "...70 percent of today's moms say they played outside as kids. But only 31 percent of their kids do." Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine reports that of a sample of preschoolers representing 4 million children, about half had parent-supervised outdoor play activity per day. At least sixty minutes a day is recommended.

Things I Did Not Do:

I didn’t watch much television or play organized sports. I was in school bands and orchestras. Television was in black and white when we finally got one and there were few children’s shows available. We did watch The Lone Ranger and I loved the Heidi movies when they were on. Shirley Temple was adorable. I still want curly hair.

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Things I Did:

• Went to library (Gasp! We had no ebooks, iPads, cell phones, iTunes, game stations).
• Rode my bike hundreds, probably thousands, of miles exploring everywhere I could.
• Swam most summer days in the town pool.
• Swung in an old tire swing - that was even in our front yard - and walked to the Catholic school playground which still has teeter-totters, swings and a Geo Dome.

Now I'm a “retired” teacher, author and blogger. Through blogging, I met my good friend Katie from Mommy with Selective Memory who is always looking for ways to educate her preschoolers – to make them as smart and happy as she can. She went on a search to find answers and even bought flashcards! I talked her into tossing them and doing playful activities with her preschoolers. She told me that she had no clue what to do with them even though she loves them dearly but that some days they were driving her crazy. What could she do when they took road trips or why wasn’t her daughter making neighborhood friends? How could she best help them develop physically, mentally, emotionally? We searched and there was no book for moms who don’t own a glue gun or know what to do with their toddlers or preschoolers. They just know they love them and want what is best for them. 

So we collaborated and wrote a book to help other moms in similar circumstances. It is filled with inexpensive activities and explains the child development benefits behind them: The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Or you might like a glimpse into Kindergarten. Both are bestsellers and make helpful gifts for parents and teachers. Also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

Let Children Experience Childhood.

What are your favorite outdoor memories?

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What's the Weather Got to Do with It?

There is no bad weather – just inappropriate clothing. I don’t know who first said this, but I think of these words when it is cold, rainy, stormy, windy or even seems too dark to venture outside. We’ve stocked up on warm clothing and flashlights and feel ready for almost any kind of weather. 

I was raised in a small Kansas town with two brothers and two sisters. My mother pushed encouraged us to play outside in all kinds of weather. Of course, we knew to come home if there was lightning, or if tornado sirens went off, but other than that, we never worried about being too cold or hot. We stayed active outdoors and our bodies became used to the four seasons weather.

Children need to exercise and spend time in nature. It is being highly encouraged for children to Go Outside and Play - an Hour a Day. Here are some examples of having fun outdoors, enjoying nature, helping with family projects, or making neighborhood friends in various weather conditions while building muscles and the body’s immune system.

Rain

We are trying to restore a pond on our property. The land was a cow pasture before we built a house on it and this pond was dug out for the cows to have water. Unfortunately, it does not hold water through a Texas summer drought. Our grand-children helped us clean out the pond of little trees, large rocks, and various plants but we didn’t get the clay/dirt mixture packed down to prevent leakage before the rains came again. We’ll pack it this summer, stock it with some catfish and put in a solar panel filtering system. Right now it is perfect for throwing rocks, observing gravity and watching critters swim away from the ripples.

Of course, common sense is needed when it is storming. One doesn’t go outside if there is lightning or extremely windy, but the rain offers some fun play such as splashing in mud puddles, holding an umbrella while listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops. and feeling the drops on one’s face. Making mud pies can develop into a lavish imaginative party for a young child although I do not recommend eating any worms and slugs you might find. Rolly Pollies are also fun to find and are abundant under wet rocks.

If it is raining too hard, find indoor activities. I bought Window Writer Paint for $.83 cents, or 75% off, several weeks ago at Joanne’s Crafts. My daughter enjoyed painting the windows. We left it on for several days, then Sarah helped clean it off, leaving a sparkling view of the outdoors.

Sarah also painted a sun catcher that rainy day. It says “Girls Rule.” Of course, we know that already, but it’s a pretty reminder.

Snow

I remember one day when I was teaching kindergarten, a teacher yelled, “It’s snowing! Take the kids outside. It might be gone by the time school is out.” I immediately agreed and we all took a spontaneous recess after putting on coats and hats. The children stuck out their tongues and felt the coldness and mushiness of snow. No one complained that they were cold. In fact, the children ran around so much that I doubt that they felt, or cared about the freezing temperature. It was exciting and lead to impromptu reading of  The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats then guided writing and creative drawing. Teachers: Always have extra coats and hats in your classroom for children whose parents have not watched the weather report.

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of sledding down a neighbor’s hill. Never mind that we landed in the street. There wasn’t that much traffic on our street when it snowed and people knew to “Watch out for the Dulin kids!” It doesn’t snow often enough in Texas for me, so when it does, we go outside and experience the weather, sliding on ice, making snowmen, and pulling each other on sleds. I am fortunate that some of my grandchildren live next door. They are always willing to venture outside and play.

Wind

We live on a “rolling hills" terrain in Texas and have had wind gusts up to 75 miles an hour! I could not believe how difficult it was to walk in the wind in the country. One has to extend your arms and legs to maintain balance and push your body to move forward. Interesting and muscle building.   

Wind can be fun to play with such as making chimes out of cans and nails or bells, flying kites, and blowing on wind spinners. Fluffy looks like he'd enjoy a breeze.

Sun

One of my favorite photos Katie  from Mommy with Selective Memory has shared with me is of rocks in her daughter's bike basket that Little Buddy picked up on a walk. It took a long time for Buddy to pick up this many rocks but the family enjoyed a relaxing and free adventure, Buddy was proud of his accomplishment, and he built up muscles during the process. Later, the rocks were used for exploring math concepts including one-on-one correspondence, sorting, and patterning.

Outdoor Activities to Do on a Sunny Day:

Swim, fish, garden, ride a bike, roller skate, throw balls, play badminton, play hide-and-seek, tag, jump rope, run races, play with hula hoops, play basketball or softball, throw Frisbees, scavenger or treasure hunt, hike, go on a picnic, play at the park, visit the zoo, throw some French fries to the birds at a fast-food restaurant that has an outdoor playground, or visit a lake throwing bread crumbs feeding ducks, fish or turtles. (The above photo was taken last summer during the Texas triple digit/drought weather; the yellow Bermuda grass survived and is now green again).

Playing in various kinds of weather will build lasting memories of a fun healthy childhood. Taking nature walks or playing at the park will help you relax and remind you of what is important in life. For me it is Faith, Family and Friends. Here comes the sun. What will you learn today by taking an adventure with children?

For a glimpse into Kindergarten see my book. Would you like inexpensive ideas, activities, and games to teach your child through play? Mommy with Selective Memory and I can help save your sanity, one project at a time, with The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Both have been no. 1 bestsellers on Amazon.


This post is part of a Blog Hop sponsored by dozens of wonderful blogs. Please take a minute to visit some of these sites full of activities and experiments for kids to do regarding weather. Feel free to link up your own post and join the party!

NurtureStore :: The Golden Gleam :: Rainy Day Mum :: Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Putti Prapancha :: Sun Hats & Wellie Boots :: Montessori Tidbits :: Kitchen Counter Chronicles

Reading Confetti :: Dilly-Dali Art :: Growing A Jeweled Rose :: The Iowa Farmer's Wife

AngeliqueFelix.com :: Kindergarten Basics :: Mommy With A Selective Memory

Glittering Muffins :: Creative Family Fun :: Living Montessori Now :: Toddler Approved

Living at the Whitehead's Zoo :: Sense of Wonder :: Make, Do & Friend :: Creative Connections for Kids

The Educators' Spin On It :: RainbowsWithinReach :: A Mom With A Lesson Plan :: Creativity my Passion

Mama Smiles :: Teach Preschool :: JDaniel4's Mom :: The Outlaw Mom Blog :: Mama Mia's Heart2Heart :: :: Mindful Meanderings

What's that Shadow? Activities & Books

What made this shadow? See answer below.

Is your child fascinated by shadows? Are they in the dark about what causes shadows? Many children are curious with the event of Groundhog Day and by watching Peter Pan movies. Shadows are mysterious to young children. Yet all it takes to learn about shadows is to play outside on a sunny day or inside using a flashlight.

My Kindergartners loved it when I turned off the lights and we learned about shadows. The children took turns making various projections with their hands. Ducks, dinosaurs, cats, monsters, crocodiles. and bunnies were among the things imagined and projected. YouTube has a video demonstrating how to make shadow puppets of a dog, swan and bunny here.  

 

FUN WITH SHADOWS

Outside: Measure children's shadows at different times of the day. Tape a long line. Ask the children to print their name in front of the line with sidewalk chalk. Have the children stand on the tape while you mark the end of their shadow. Measure early, midday, and late afternoon marking their shadow on the pavement. Tell the children to observe where the sun is during these times. The children will notice the shadow's length early, then shrink back at midday, then grow on the other side of the line in the afternoon. To extend this activity, children could draw each others' shadows with sidewalk chalk then fill in their shadow.

Inside: Teachers, read Moonbear's Shadow, then ask a child to turn off the lights. This will immediately grab the children's attention that something special is about to happen. Ask Little Johnny to hold a globe which represents our earth. Responsible Rosie can hold a flashlight which represents the sun. Hold a ball in between the two children which represents the moon. Tell the children to watch the shadow as you move the ball around the earth. What happens to the moon's shadow? Why?

Books: Read books about shadows. On a sunny day, go outside and observe shadows. Encourage children to draw a picture of someone, or something, they see that is casting a shadow. Have them also draw the sun to show where the light is coming from to make this shadow.

Silhouette: Draw a silhouette of your child's head from a side view. Take the lampshade off a lamp, place it in front of you, and have your child sit sideways in front of a blank wall. If you are a teacher, perhaps you'll be fortunate enough to have a parent willing to draw your students' silhouettes in a dark room using a projector. It will be treasured. 

Shadow Puppets: Encourage children to draw objects on cardstock, cut them out, and glue to Popsicle sticks - or to just use their hands and bodies to make shadows.Then put a flashlight in front of the puppets and let the story-making begin. As they move the objects the size will change. A good rainy day activity would be to hang a white or translucent sheet from a table and encourage children to have a shadow show. All you need is a flashlight or lamp to shine on the sheet and let their imaginations and creativity flourish while you sit back, relax and be entertained.
 
Did you guess what made the shadow above? It's my grandson standing on top of the trampoline.

I think you'll enjoy this video by Lindsey Stirling: 

Would you like a glimpse into Kindergarten? See Kindergarten: Tattle-Tales, Tools, Tactics, Triumphs and Tasty Treats for Teachers and Parents. Moms of Preschoolers - let Mommy with Selective Memory and me help save your sanity, one project at a time with the child development explanations with The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Both are bestsellers and also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo. The ebooks are only $3.99.

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