As temperatures decrease, the chances for your child to discover the wonders of winter increase. Dressed appropriately, winter time is perfect for exploration and fun outdoor activities. Allowing your child to be outdoors is beneficial for your child’s development. Winter provides a sense of wonder.
Fun Outdoor Activities
Along with using large motor skills, outdoor time allows your child to observe nature and the surrounding environment.
Go for a Walk
Going outdoors for a walk is a simple task. As a parent, make the walk fun.
- Take large steps in the snow.
- Take small steps.
- Jump.
- Go through a large snow pile.
- Roll in the snow.
- Create snow angels.
- Use snowshoes.
Show the different patterns each type of movement makes in the snow. Walking in snow promotes large motor skills and coordination.
Scavenger Hunt
Creating a scavenger hunt engages your child in the immediate environment. Finding different items is a great way to spend time outdoors. If you need ideas for the scavenger hunt, consider the following:
- Pinecones
- Ice
- Stones under the snow
- Bird
- Animal tracks
- Small sticks or twigs
- Frozen leaves
Save the twigs, pinecones, stones, and other small items to create nature crafts. Discussing the items and the outdoor activity increases vocabulary and imagination.
Drawing in the Snow
Use sticks or small wooden dowels to draw pictures or patterns in the snow. Promoting imagination, large areas instantly transfer into an open canvas for your child to create.
Spray the Snow
Fill spray bottles with dyed water. Allow your child to spray the different colors on to the snow. Snow spraying allows your child to mix colors and view the effects on the snow.
Unstructured Play
One of the best outdoor activities is unstructured play. Provide your child with a wide range of items for playing in the snow.
- Magnifying glasses to view items up close
- Shovels or scoops
- Small containers and buckets
- Exploration table
- Sleds
Allowing your child to explore the wintry environment without interruption promotes imagination. Spending time outdoors in the winter promotes learning by focusing on your child’s natural curiosity. The Montessori School in Newark incorporates nature and outdoor learning into its everyday lessons, even during the winter time. To learn more about Montessori education and how it differs from traditional education, contact us today.
This article originally appeared on Happening in Education’s blog at: https://happeningsineducation.wordpress.com/2018/12/16/fun-outdoor-activities-in-the-winter/.
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