Hot Tip for Summer… Let Your Backyard Babysit!

By Kelly Owens Vincentini

We want kids to have healthy bodies, curious minds, and joyful hearts. A powerful — and free — way to support their growth is with unstructured outdoor time. Here’s a list of ideas to benefit your child’s body, mind, and spirit.

Experience Nature’s Calming Effect

• Collect interesting rocks, leaves, or other natural treasures. Name the treasures, compare them, and even sort into piles.

• Let kids dig in the dirt or plant a garden.

• Bring a snack or lunch outside for an impromptu picnic.

• Bring a basket of books outside and read on a blanket.

Spark Creativity and Thinking Skills

• Build a fairy house or fort from twigs, leaves, and grass.

• Make mud pies, stone soup, or potions with natural materials.

• Pretend you’re exploring a new land. What will you name it? Where will you build shelter? How will you find food? Will you need to draw a map so you don’t get lost?

Get Moving and Get Stronger!

• Have your child build an obstacle course with sticks, logs, pinecones, sidewalk chalk, etc.

• Take a “sensory walk.” Get the feel of balancing on logs and rocks. Shake seed pods, rustle leaves, or tap stones. Feel flower petals or the tips of grass.

• Visit a new playground with friends.

Keep the Spirit of Adventure!

For more tips, check out the Play2Learn Podcast where Kelly interviews experts in the fields of parenting and education to provide you with the tools and insight you need to show up for your children with confidence.

Kelly Vincentini is the founder of Play2Learn in Central New York. As a former teacher and mother of three, she values play based learning and socialization during the early childhood years.

This content is sponsored by Play2Learn.