Friday, 14 February 2014

Outdoor Play Party - A very wet day out.


We are very lucky to have the use of the amazing sensory garden of a nearby special school. We have been going to this great outdoor space for over 6 years now & have established a strong link with one of the teachers & her nursery class. This year the class has been going on a monthly visit to the garden & it gives the children from the 2 schools to play together in the space. 
This garden affords great climbing opportunities.
Part of the fun on a trip like this is going on a bus, we get the children all ready in their rain gear & they play around the playground while waiting for the bus to arrive - they can see it through the fence when it drives through the gates - and its arrival is always a cause of celebration. Generally, before we go on a trip we ask the children to stay out of the mud patch & not to play with the water so they aren't wet or muddy before they get on the bus but this week it was so wet that everyone was already soaked long before the bus even arrived!!

Some of the children played in the sand pit under the cover while waiting whilst others had fun climbing on the crates or 'cooking' in the forest area.
When we arrive at the school, we walk through the main school to get out to the garden, the children are encouraged to run on ahead when we reach the garden, down the hill until they reach the seats where we have a small snack of fruit & biscuits before they are free to head off & play.
Watching an adult tackle the wobbly bridge
Sitting chatting around a pretend campfire!
Even though it was cold & very wet the children had a great morning of fun, climbing up the steep, muddy bank & rolling down it again. Playing on the wobbly bridge, the swings & slide. After all the recent rain there was a giant mud patch at the bottom of the slide and of course it was so much fun to slide down into that. There were also lots of puddles for jumping in.

When we got back to school, lots of children had to be changed as they were soaked & there were loads of coats put into the drier before home time. But they all agreed they had had a great morning of fun & can't wait to go back again next month.

Despite the terrible weather that lots of parts of the world are having, there were lots of great posts linked up in the last OPP. My favourite was from The Boy and Me about a fun time they had in the mud, I love their motto - Clothes in the wash, Me in the bath!! This fab, fun post also featured The Boy's cousin who features in the blog Wild family Fun, so blogging is a real family affair!



  • Any kind of children's outdoor play-related posts are welcome!



We'd appreciate it if you included a link back to this post (either in your post or sidebar) to help us spread the word about the importance (and fun!) of outdoor play! In return, we'll gladly further share your post on FacebookTwitterPinterestPlease feel free to grab the Outdoor Play Party button from the sidebar and/or include a text link back.

Please note that by contributing you are giving permission for an image and link to your post to be republished if featured.(If you have been featured, please feel free to grab the 'featured' button from the sidebar.) Share your ideas for outdoor play activities with us every other week!


13 comments:

  1. It has been really rough but great to see it hasn't stopped you getting outdoors. I love that photo from The Boy and Me too

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    1. It's a brilliant photo isn't it. Have to admit, even I'm fed up with this weather!! Thanks for supporting the OPP too.

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    2. Thanks for linking up and sharing the children's great outdoor fun with Country Kids.

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  2. Wow, that's wet play. We are looking forward to that in 2 months time. I look at all play, especially dirty play with envy...wish I could go back to childhood years.
    Have a great week-end.

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    1. Hi & thanks so much for supporting the link up again. First time ever I think I was soaked right through my waterproof coat!

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  3. Thanks so much for featuring me, I'm pleased that you approve of our motto, in fact it seems very apt for your post this week! How wonderful that you also have a tumble dryer to dry the children's clothes off, bet the parents are grateful?

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    1. Your motto is perfect & our posts seemed to compliment each other too. Most days we have the clothes dried & back on again before they even go home. Mostly used for wet jumper sleeves when they forget to pull them up before washing their hands LOL.

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  4. the amount of rain we have had recently it is no surpise that the children were all soaking wet by the time they got back to school. But i bet they had the best time because they dont care about the wet and mud do they? x

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    1. Hi Jenny & thanks so much for linking up. For most, no it makes no odds but here are always 1 or 2 who are more fair weather fans!

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  5. Wow what an ace nursery to get to enjoy the outdoors so much! I love your motto too

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    1. Hi Lisa & thanks for linking up too. I am so grateful to my former principal for passing that motto onto me.

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  6. I'd love to hear more about your 'school'! I am trying to start one in AK and am searching the minds of all those who have come before me. If you can give me some tips, please let me know akskedaddle at gmail dot com!

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    1. Oh I love your blog. Have emailed you & will help anyway I can. Kierna

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