Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, lamented that children suffer from a ''nature-deficit''. Children need to play creatively outdoors exploring, discovering, experimenting, learning to enjoy themselves in nature. I know we are supposed to turn off the cartoons but it can be hard some days. Additionally, corporate America has sent a call to parents. Young professionals are showing scars left from a childhood raised by helicopter parents. Loving parents are pushing their way into grown children's salary negotiations. Johnny shows up late at the office because Mom's phone was out therefore he didn't get his wake up call. This book offers 101 fresh ways for a care-taker of young children to take five minutes of set up time initiating creative, independent play outdoors using everyday objects found in the house or yard. These activities should not replace time spent with parents. The value of love and attention from a parent is undisputable. Rather, these creative play ideas are meant to become one part of your child's day when she can explore and experience nature independently. No need to purchase more toys, batteries or DVDs. It's all within your child and the yard. It's time to play outside!

It's Time to Play Outside

101 ways for your young child to enjoy independent fun under the sunBy Miska L. Rynsburger

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2011 Miska L. Rynsburger
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4567-3204-2

Chapter One

SUMMER

Off to the Races!

Materials: sidewalk chalk, several bug volunteers, small container

Ladies and Gentlemen (and Bugs) start your engines! Who doesn't love the thrill of a race? It appears almost instinctual, when two or more children gather together at some point there's bound to be a race. In this activity it's not actually the children racing, it's the bugs. To get the race started you will need to grab some sidewalk chalk and draw several concentric circles on the concrete. The race starting line is actually the smallest, innermost circle in the center. The finish line is the largest, outermost circle. When the lines have been drawn, give your child a little collecting container. Tell your child to go hunting for and gathering up several bugs that look like good athletes ready to show off their mad skillz. Once he has a sufficient number of bugs in his little container your child is ready to prepare his bugs for the races. Your child should carefully place all the bugs in the center circle and declare, "Runners take your mark, get set, GO!" After all the build up, now the job is to sit and watch, wait and observe. No fair budging them along. Likely one bug will start moving, any direction is appreciated and soon the rest will follow. You'll hear your child cheering the racers on, getting louder and louder as one pushes toward the finish line. Soon, your child can declare a winner. Once all the racers have crossed the finish line your child should carefully collect the exhausted little athletes and retire them back to where they were found. Round two can begin with a new group of fresh racers who are raring to go. When the activity concludes be sure to ask your child who he had expected to win and why? What surprised him during the race? The more your child can practice verbalizing the details of his experiences the better. This helps your child's brain recall the order of the event, what his expectations were as well as what he learned and concluded from the activity. These are all great skills for the budding learner.

Summer Stream

Materials: hose, dirt, sticks, stones

Whether it's the happy bubbling sounds or the fact that water is constantly changing form, I have never found a child who is not attracted to a stream. I believe it is one of the laws of nature. You put your children by a stream and within 60 seconds those little explorers will be wandering about in the water; shoes, no shoes, it doesn't matter. It's as if they can't help themselves. Sadly, not all of us are fortunate enough to raise children with a happily, bubbling brook in the backyard. That doesn't have to stop you from allowing your kids to enjoy the exploration of moving water. If you can't bring your children to a stream, why not bring the stream to your children? Simple enough right? Unwind that garden hose on a warm, summer day. Find a spot in the yard that has a slope, keeping in mind the bigger the slope the more fun experimenting your children will have. Crank the hose on and let that water begin cascading down the slope or backyard hill. While the water is saturating the earth, your children can prepare for the fun by each filling a bucket with dirt. Their task will be to help shape the stream by building low walls along the edge of the water path. The real fun begins by creating a dam. Encourage your children to use sticks, stones and mud to help strengthen the force of the dam. Are they able to stop the flow of water? Did they redirect the path of the water with the dam? Or was a waterfall created? What happens when your children change the force of the water from the hose a little slower or a little faster? Float a variety of objects down the stream to see what objects float the farthest or fastest in the water. The possibilities are endless. What a great way to experience the joys of water right in your own backyard.

Ant Restaurant

Materials: scrap of cardboard or tag board, few condiments from the kitchen, paper, pencil

Ants are a marvel to children. Unfortunately, children are a nightmare to ants as soon as those curious, little fingers can start pinching. Young children love to watch these little, black dots bustling busily around on the sidewalk. Alas, these little, black, moving dots are often not quite fast enough to escape the reach of an inquisitive baby. I'm sorry to say our family has had a good many ants that have lost their lives in the name of science at the hands of our little 10-month-old scientists. With a little more direction that young scientist, now with a few more years of life experience and a deeper level of empathy, can carry out a much more humane experiment on these amazing, little creatures. Over a meal, talk with your child about what foods he would expect an ant to prefer to eat and why (I know, you never saw yourself discussing bugs' diets over a meal but, here you are). Have your child choose four foods from the pantry or refrigerator he expects ants might like to eat. Help him put a quarter sized blob on a piece of cardboard or tag board. Now your child must head for the yard in search of a hungry looking group of ants. They can be found in the grass, the sidewalk, a bike path (although be wary of the bike path, bikers can be found there as well), or the driveway. Once a good colony has been identified, set the restaurant within "ant sniffing" distance and have your child observe, no pinching this time please. You may encourage your entomologist to list each food used and tally how many ants chose each delicacy. How did they do with their predictions? Were they surprised?

*hint: in order to help your child achieve a certain level of success in this experiment be sure he chooses something sweet; for example syrup, molasses, sugar granules, etc.

Singing in the Rain

Materials: any and all umbrellas you can find in the house, one lawn chair per child

There's something about the tap, tap, tapping of the rain falling on an umbrella that almost seems magical to young children. Unfortunately, parents are not able control the precipitation outdoors. On a warm, summer afternoon when it seems your child's outdoor creative play could use a little shot in the arm, grab all the umbrellas in the house including the biggest one you have. Can you find any extra large sized umbrellas like a beach umbrella or old, patio umbrella? Set the largest umbrella you could find in the middle of the yard (by now, your children's curiosity is sure to be piqued. Don't let them know what you're up to at this point. Let the suspense build). You may find you want to have the large umbrella standing straight up or simply lay it on its side. Place one lawn chair for each child half in and half out of this large umbrella. Attach any other umbrellas to these chairs with ropes, bungee cords or wiggled between the fabric strips of the chair. Tell your children to take a seat in a chair and then turn on the sprinkler so it hits the umbrellas. That's all it takes. The novelty of something so different, the feel of the water and the sound of the `raindrops on the umbrellas' will stir the imagination enough for tons of afternoon fun. Head back into the house and watch as your children challenge themselves running in and out of the water trying to dodge the "summer rain drops". At times they might just sit a spell and...