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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What Are Your Favorite Outside Activities?
taylorw1210 06:25 AM 04-02-2014
Summer is coming! (hopefully... 
)
What are your favorite outside activities? I am looking for some ideas on what to add to our play area outside. We currently have a few Step2 toddler slides/climbing sets, and a swing set w/ a big slide, as well as numerous ride on toys, toy lawn mowers, and balls.
I keep finding all these really neat sandbox plans on Pinterest - talk me out of it! I'm sure I'll be regretting that the first day the kids can play in it.
Does anyone have a water table and like it?
)What are your favorite outside activities? I am looking for some ideas on what to add to our play area outside. We currently have a few Step2 toddler slides/climbing sets, and a swing set w/ a big slide, as well as numerous ride on toys, toy lawn mowers, and balls.
I keep finding all these really neat sandbox plans on Pinterest - talk me out of it! I'm sure I'll be regretting that the first day the kids can play in it.
Does anyone have a water table and like it?
Kimskiddos 06:48 AM 04-02-2014
I have a sandbox and love it, kiddos do too. We just do a silly shake and wipe down dance and dump our shoes about 15 minutes before we go inside (close the sandbox too). Still end up with sand on the changing table sometimes.
Outside time is free play here. Lots of things to play with/on without me showing or directing them.
It gets hot in the summer, shoot it's hot today so I do work in lots of water play. Bucket of water with paint brushes, or squeeze top bottles, chalk, car and climber washes, items frozen into ice, occasionally mud and shaving crème and the sprinklers. The kiddos love to get misted when I am watering my hanging flower baskets.
Outside time is free play here. Lots of things to play with/on without me showing or directing them.
It gets hot in the summer, shoot it's hot today so I do work in lots of water play. Bucket of water with paint brushes, or squeeze top bottles, chalk, car and climber washes, items frozen into ice, occasionally mud and shaving crème and the sprinklers. The kiddos love to get misted when I am watering my hanging flower baskets.
MotherNature 07:03 AM 04-02-2014
Sand is a mess, but we have it. Water table is everyone's fave, along w/ digging in the garden. Water table's also portable, so I can stickit on the front porch if the weather's weird. We like to throw some sensory stuff like shells and shiny glass gems that you get at dollar stores for vases in there.
MamaBearCanada 07:03 AM 04-02-2014
We have an outside play house they love. Mini gardening gear and a small raised bed to dig in. A sandbox with a lid. Chalk. Plastic Or camping dishes for pretend picnics and BBQs. Hula hoops. Balls.
jenboo 08:08 AM 04-02-2014
I made a sandbox from an old bookshelf. The kids love it! It isnt very big so they all sit on the outside and reach in the play. There is less mess this way and the kids dont care at all. My dad made us a sensory and water table. It looks like a regular table that has 2 rectangles cut out which is where i put two plastic bins. One side has water right now and the other has rice. I love that I can move it around, put lids over the containers and only open one half if I want to.
Pretty soon it is going to be too hot to go outside unless we are in the water. I have a couple fun sprinklers to use. I also plan on building a trike wash with PVC pipe, sponges, etc. I also want to make some accessories for our water table...im thinking a wooden stand that holds funnels with clear tubing attached..
Pretty soon it is going to be too hot to go outside unless we are in the water. I have a couple fun sprinklers to use. I also plan on building a trike wash with PVC pipe, sponges, etc. I also want to make some accessories for our water table...im thinking a wooden stand that holds funnels with clear tubing attached..
nothingwithoutjoy 10:26 AM 04-02-2014
Mud kitchen, hands down! It's the most-used area of my yard.
coolconfidentme 10:49 AM 04-02-2014
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy:
mud kitchen, hands down! It's the most-used area of my yard.
mine too!!!!mud kitchen, hands down! It's the most-used area of my yard.
llpa 10:27 AM 04-02-2014
Originally Posted by jenboo:
I made a sandbox from an old bookshelf. The kids love it! It isnt very big so they all sit on the outside and reach in the play. There is less mess this way and the kids dont care at all. My dad made us a sensory and water table. It looks like a regular table that has 2 rectangles cut out which is where i put two plastic bins. One side has water right now and the other has rice. I love that I can move it around, put lids over the containers and only open one half if I want to.
Pretty soon it is going to be too hot to go outside unless we are in the water. I have a couple fun sprinklers to use. I also plan on building a trike wash with PVC pipe, sponges, etc. I also want to make some accessories for our water table...im thinking a wooden stand that holds funnels with clear tubing attached..
I use a lot of portable items in summer, but i love the trike wash idea! We are so going to have that!! I made a sandbox from an old bookshelf. The kids love it! It isnt very big so they all sit on the outside and reach in the play. There is less mess this way and the kids dont care at all. My dad made us a sensory and water table. It looks like a regular table that has 2 rectangles cut out which is where i put two plastic bins. One side has water right now and the other has rice. I love that I can move it around, put lids over the containers and only open one half if I want to.
Pretty soon it is going to be too hot to go outside unless we are in the water. I have a couple fun sprinklers to use. I also plan on building a trike wash with PVC pipe, sponges, etc. I also want to make some accessories for our water table...im thinking a wooden stand that holds funnels with clear tubing attached..
Luna 10:43 AM 04-02-2014
We have two sand tables and we love them. If you're okay with using baby powder, it can be used to "wash" sandy hands. We have a water table that gets heavy use too...faaaar away from the sand tables. Balls, pool noodles, and hula hoops can be used in so many ways.
I would love a mud kitchen, but I know most of my current families would not approve. Maybe next summer!
I would love a mud kitchen, but I know most of my current families would not approve. Maybe next summer!
Shell 11:03 AM 04-02-2014
We have climbers, a really great sandbox that seats probably 6 or more kids, swings, chalk, sprinklers, water table. Their favorite activity: sponges, some dawn dish soap and the ride on toys for a car wash- keeps them entertained forever!
Unregistered 01:59 PM 11-06-2014
These are great! Now that winter is coming, what are some of the activities/toys you will be using to keep kids active while they're primarily indoors?
A parent donated a bulk deal of these flow-type toys from Vertical Vortex (http://verticalvortextoys.com/) to our daycare center a few weeks ago and we've had fun using them as a fun twist on the old "Hot Potato" game, where they have to pass them back and forth to each other. It's fun!
What new ideas will you be implementing for your kids this winter season?
A parent donated a bulk deal of these flow-type toys from Vertical Vortex (http://verticalvortextoys.com/) to our daycare center a few weeks ago and we've had fun using them as a fun twist on the old "Hot Potato" game, where they have to pass them back and forth to each other. It's fun!
What new ideas will you be implementing for your kids this winter season?