6 Outdoor Learning Activities to Try with Your Child

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It’s important for children to learn new skills in a variety of different environments, not just in a classroom. Outdoor learning is particularly valuable for youngsters because it gives them an opportunity to get some fresh air and exercise, while also developing new knowledge and abilities. You may be wondering what sorts of activities you can do with your child outdoors to boost their learning, which is why I have teamed up with a day nursery in Hertfordshire. Here are six ideas to get you started…

1. Walking Through Nature

Fortunately, you don’t need to have a big garden to provide your child with outdoor learning experiences. Have a look online and see if you can find some local parks and woods that you haven’t explored before so that you can talk your child on a walk through nature. Talk to them about your surroundings and ask them if they know what the different trees or called, or what kinds of animals are likely to live in that environment. Ask them if they know what happens to the trees during the different seasons and look out for birds and other wildlife.

2. Scavenger Hunts

Treasure hunts are great fun and fantastic learning opportunities. Write out a list of items that you’d like you child to find, either in the garden or in your local park, like acorn, sycamore leaves and pinecones. You could even turn it into a social activity and invite their friends or some family members along to compete against one another, giving the winner a prize.

3. Water Play

If your child is still young, water play is fantastic for developing their fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination, and what kids don’t enjoy getting a little messy? Fill up a bucket or a paddling pool with water and ask your child to transfer water from one plastic cup to another and play with sponges to strengthen their hand and finger muscles. You could give them some random items, like a tennis ball or a piece of paper, and see if they can determine whether those items will sink or float.

4. Gardening

Allowing your child to grow their own will help them learn about what’s involved in keeping a plant alive. They will learn about responsibility as they will need to tend to their seedlings and keep them watered. Gardening together will be a great opportunity for you to bond and help share the household responsibilities, teaching them about teamwork and hard work.

5. Camping

If possible, you could consider taking your child camping one weekend or during the next school holiday and teach them how to put up a tent. It’s also a chance for them to learn some survival skills, like how to read a map or prepare food with limited supplies. Camping is also a great opportunity for your family to spend some quality time together and have a well-deserved change of scenery.

6. Watching Wildlife

Have a look online for some ideas on how to build a bug hotel or a bird feeder so that your child can keep an eye out for some different types of wildlife. You could get them some binoculars so that they can watch for birds and perhaps encourage them to keep a little diary so that they can note down what they’ve spotted.

These are just a few simple suggestions to get you started, but they will probably inspire you to come up with your own ideas going forward. Your child will love to get their hands dirty and run around freely; it can be thrilling and will certainly encourage them to put down their digital devices.