Friday 28 March 2014

Outdoor Play Party - making memories.

Welcome to another Outdoor Play Party - it's great to see lots of new blogs linking up as well as the support from the regulars. Spring is hopefully around the corner for many of us & here's to some slightly warmer outdoor play!
I sometimes worry that the experience I have chosen to give the children in my class does not fully prepare them for the next step in their educational journey. Then I realise that I am preparing them for life not just the formal school setting & more importantly I like to think I am helping to create unique memories for them as they move through life.

I saw these 2 posters on Discover the Forest's Facebook page, please do check out their page & website, both are well worth following. You can find the Facebook page here & the website at discovertheforest.org
I think it is pretty amazing that in just one year in my class a child can mark of 15 out of the 19 things in these posters, now some of them take place on visits elsewhere but 9 of them can be achieved in our little playground in a school. I think it's not a bad list to judge how good your preschool year was! And more importantly many of them happen everyday & are part & parcel of our outdoor play - playing in the rain & making mud pies, I also like to think we are more than a little unique in that we have a campfire on a weekly basis in the playground too.

I think that we could make our own little posters of things we have achieved outdoors before the age of 4 

  • Toasting marshmallows.
  • Playing with sticks.
  • Whittling.
  • Using hammers & nails.
  • Going up a slide.
  • Paint using rain.
That is just off the top of my head, I'm sure we could make an even longer list if we really thought about it!

Once again thanks to all those who linked up in the last OPP, the post I'm featuring this time is from Misplaced Brit on a breakfast picnic on the beach. I have a real affinity with beaches outside of the usual summer time use & love that they had to dig themselves little holes in the sand to sit in to enjoy flapjacks & hot drinks. 
  • 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!


18 comments:

  1. Once again, thank you for hosting as you are such an inspiration to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, that really does mean a lot to me.

      Delete
  2. I love that list from Discover the Forest and I love yours too, Kierna. Now I'm having fun thinking what would be on ours! So many wonderful memories made outside. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are both so perfect for having fun outdoors. Perhaps every family could make their own list.

      Delete
  3. I love all that your children get up to at preschool

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Fiona, will link up to you later today.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for linking, you are doing a wonderful job preparing your little people for life to come

      Delete
  4. You could also add: Jumping in Puddles, climbing logs, sifting sand through one's fingers........ I love the lists you shared!

    ReplyDelete
  5. My son did a lot of the things on things to do before you turn 10 and I am with him in all this but the only activity that i cant be with him is to dig worms. I am so scared of them =P

    Nice list and nice post!

    #countrykids

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh oh am sure he will manage to do that for himself some day while you are safely indoors!

      Delete
  6. I've added my link about the importance of children being allowed to play - hope this is the sort of thing you are after. Have you come across the National Trust's list of 50 things to do before you are 11 3/4? My eldest son has just turned 12 and I have blogged about how he did. If you visit the blog and put "How did Tom do" in the search it should bring up the 4 blogs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, any posts on getting children playing are perfect. I have that list too & love how many families are working there way through it. Off to explore your post now.

      Delete
  7. I love all this! It's good to be back here!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kiasa, great to have your blog back too, love following your adventures too.

      Delete
  8. Love that list...we have been doing bucketlist since Hassan was a year...I feel so accomplished when WE cross something off, lol. I'm going to copy a few things from your list...love it!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.