Outdoor summer crafts and activities with the kids
When I was a kid, I spent quite a lot of time in Whiteshell Provincial Park, with my grandparents. As an only child on Summer vacation, I grew accustomed to entertaining myself in this glorious corner of eastern Manitoba. My creativity blossomed as I created intricate frog villages in the sand adorned with natural items such as pinecones, pebbles and twigs. I would collect shells and stones and arrange them into patterns as well as draw on the docks with charcoal taken from old campsites; these endeavours would take hours. Despite the amazing time that I had as a child, my adult brain, aware of the dangers, would have a hard time allowing my children that same kind of freedom. We, as parents or caregivers, can still give children the health and creative benefits of the outdoors! This week at the daycare we spent the better part of it outside. The best part about being outdoors is that it naturally sparks creativity and you need very little in the way of supplies.
Mud is messy and wonderful outside! You can make bricks to dry in the sun for a fort, bird nests, bowls, pots, pie and soup (which is the best soup of all); all this and the fun and laughs of getting messy and dirty! Mud is so great that it even has it's own international day !! Perhaps some tools from Buy Canadian First member Garant will make all the difference.
Yesterday, at the daycare, the school-aged kids and I went for a nature walk while the smaller ones slept. We collected all sorts of interesting natural items and some found items, too. Later that afternoon we sat down to create nature collages with our found items; all we needed was glue and cardboard.
We often take containers of paint and big brushes outside. Whether we paint on the sidewalks or on large sheets of paper, the big brushes and large painting space creates a sense of freedom in creativity, as there is no mess to make! Of course, don't forget to bring the sidewalk chalk as well!
Outside crafts and activities are often most fun if you follow your child's lead and add the needed supplies as you go. Get messy, try and follow a bird and then make her a feeder or look for interesting, recyclable materials to create toad homes in your garden. Take lots of pictures! The memories will be well worth the effort.
What kind of creative, outdoor activities does your family do?
image credit: Buy Canadian First Member Garant and Andrea Willowcat
