Despite all that we’re dealing with, it is THAT time of year when the days are getting longer and spring is just around the corner. Whether you’re a nursery manager, a parent, or both, you’ll soon be breathing a sigh of relief that the great outdoors can offer some proper entertainment, eh?
The thing about spring, you see, is you know it’s coming. So now is the time to whet your kiddies’ appetites and get their imaginations firing on all cylinders. Share your thoughts and plans with them. Encourage them to contribute ideas. Build their anticipation. And get them talking about it. They can share all this with their friends and relatives during Zoom chats, and you’ll be surprised just how many questions crop up when it’s bed time.
With that in mind, therefore, we thought we’d share a few ideas to give you a bit of inspiration on how to pep things up again as going outside becomes a more enjoyable option once more.
Bring out the hunter/gatherer in them…
Kids love collecting things and they love making things, so it’s always a win/win when you can combine the two. With spring, there’s so much resource they can tap into that it’s madness not to take advantage. So why not think about making things from the treasure trove you can gather during a walk? With the colourful spring flowers and freshly budding leaves, you can have heaps of fun making things like suncatchers, mandalas, fairy wings, flower necklaces, even paper crowns. And now’s the time to stock up on a stash of basic materials so you’ve always got them to hand. We’re talking:
- Paper plates
- String
- Scissors
- Transparent contact paper
- Glue
- Markers
- A hole punch
- Sellotape
Bring out the adventurer…
Kids also adore dens and hidey holes. There’s nothing like building a little hidden escape, grabbing a picnic, and having a munch outside. If you’re fortunate enough to have a good sized garden with bushes and trees, then it might be pretty easy to fashion a little den in a corner somewhere. However, bean pole tee-pees can work a treat too. If you can get hold of some canes and string, you can easily construct a wigwam shaped structure and then cover it with some sheets. Or… actually grow some beans or sweet peas up it and turn it into a glorious little flower/plant hideaway later in the summer!
Bring out the alfresco eater
We mentioned above about munching snacks in a den, well why not get them growing some of their own veg that they can then chomp on later in the year? Not everyone has space for a veg patch, of course, but it’s really easy to re-grow vegetables on a window sill! Things like carrot tops, spring onion heads, garlic bulbs, celery, lettuce… all can be re-grown from the individual items you buy to eat in the supermarket. It’s fun, it’s educational, and it’s tasty!