Outside Games

[TGT09]

What are some of your favorite outdoor activities/games for school-age children?

I have a wide open yard with enough room to run and what do my kids do when we go outside? Sit. Play on the swingset for 5 minutes and then sit. It's driving me bonkers and I want them to play and get energy out. It's like they go outside and instantly don't know what to do....like imagination freeze or something.

I have a 2 yo, 6, 7, 8, and 9 year olds. I need something that at least the older 4 can enjoy together. The 2 year old I can handle. :-)

Side note: My yard is not capable of being able to play hide-n-seek. And, tag ALWAYS ends up in a fight.

[Crystal]

My yard is set up in "stations". I have the swingset area, another climber area, the deck holds a sand table, a water table and the kids veggie garden is in big pots to the side. Then I have an area that we made a border out of driftwood and filled with pea gravel, added trucks/tractors/shovels etc. for digging/dramtic play ( this is easily the kids favorite area) We have a playhouse with dress up props, etc. Train table area with a large cement area for other vehicles, A small basketball hoop with space for playing bball, etc. Then we have an open space that we use for different types of activities....we currently have a "campground" set up for the kids, with a real tent, sleeping bags etc. the kids LOVE it and use it daily.

I also bring out additional materials daily: parachute games, sidewalk chalk, painting with water, the art easel (which I am trying to figure out a way to set up to keep outside), hopping balls, books, drawing materials, bubbles, etc.

I also have music available outside, and we use it for movement activites, like going on a bear hunt, etc.

I try to use my outdoor space as a learning space, just as I do my indoor environment.

[TGT09]

Those are some great ideas!

I have one question though that pains me from doing some of it. Do you bring all that in every single day? Like the tent and sleeping bags? It rains here in Ohio too randomly for me to leave stuff out.

[Crystal]

no, I don't bring it in. The tent has a rainfly, so if it rains, it won't matter, unless it's a huge storm, in which case I would probably take it down.

The other stuff generally stays in it's area, such as dress up in the playhouse, though I do use rubbermaid containers for things that shouldn't be exposed to the elements for long time periods. I just make sure we clean it up at the end of the day and everything is in it's place, just like the playroom.

A good alternative for putting things a way is to get a small shelving unit and rubbermaid containers that can be left outside and used to put stuff away at the end of the day.

[TGT09]

Great! Thanks. I think I need to invest in a few more rubbermaid containers. I need a sandbox like asap!

How do you handle kids throwing sand etc?? This is a big concern of mine esp with the school agers?

[Crystal]

We use the sand table every day. I provide different types of experiences....one week it may have lots of buried seashells to dig for, one week they may add water to it to sculpt with every day, etc. If they throw it, they are given one chance to not do it again. If they do it again, they are simply told " i cannot allow you to throw the sand because it can get in our eyes. Since you have chosen to continue throwing the sand, I cnanot let you use it, you will need to play with/do something else" then help them find an alternate activity. This usually only happens once or twice because they really WANT to play in the sand. I also think the daily access and different activites help keep them engaged and they are more likely to use it properly.

Also, I don't use a sandbox that they can sit in, I use a sand table, it's much more constructive play and less messy. We have the rock pit for the bigger, deeper digging etc, and it doesn't get in diapers/clothes/shoes as badly as sand.

[lolliepopdaycare]

Wow

I am trying to get ready to start a daycare and I learned so much here. Such great ideas!!!

[Pammie]

My outside equipment is geared for the smaller kids (playhouse, sand table, mini-slide, mini-picnic table, etc). I don't have a swing set because I couldn't keep the little ones from running in front of big kids mid-swing:-)

So my outside time for my school-agers is called "Make your own fun" time. I have a BIG tub of various kinds of balls (soccer balls, volleyballs, kick balls, tennis balls, etc), foam bases (like for a baseball diamond), some hula-hoops and a bunch of those foam swimming pool noodles. The kids have become incredibly creative inventing games to play with the stash from the tub! They've become really great at the "Make your own fun" and are very often so proud of the games they've invented they show them off to their parents at pick-up time!!!!

[TGT09]

My outside equipment is geared for the smaller kids (playhouse, sand table, mini-slide, mini-picnic table, etc). I don't have a swing set because I couldn't keep the little ones from running in front of big kids mid-swing:-)

So my outside time for my school-agers is called "Make your own fun" time. I have a BIG tub of various kinds of balls (soccer balls, volleyballs, kick balls, tennis balls, etc), foam bases (like for a baseball diamond), some hula-hoops and a bunch of those foam swimming pool noodles. The kids have become incredibly creative inventing games to play with the stash from the tub! They've become really great at the "Make your own fun" and are very often so proud of the games they've invented they show them off to their parents at pick-up time!!!!

I have this too....tons of different balls, rackets, wiffle ball bat, jump ropes, hula hoops, etc. They just don't want to play with any of it and it drives me bonkers. I think my biggest issue with it all is I ALWAYS played outside as a child and I ALWAYS found something to play. I feel like all they want to do is play video games and watch t.v. (Which I only allow in very small times during the day). It's beautiful out and all they want to do is play inside. I've finally made a summer schedule where they have to go out for a portion of the day. I had a school year one but it wasn't quite working for summer kids. Thanks for the help!

[Jenjo]

I know how you feel my SA kids will be running around inside and then we go outside and they sit there not knowing what to do. It drives me completely insane! For me I have found the station idea to work and I like the " this is make your own fun time". I am so saying that tomorrow. Another thing that I have found is they like to make forts so I try to have things for them to use likes blankets, boards and they usually find other things to add to their forts. I also tell them if they want to be bored it is their choice just don't bug someone else who is having fun. Good Luck!

[TGT09]

I know how you feel my SA kids will be running around inside and then we go outside and they sit there not knowing what to do. It drives me completely insane! For me I have found the station idea to work and I like the " this is make your own fun time". I am so saying that tomorrow. Another thing that I have found is they like to make forts so I try to have things for them to use likes blankets, boards and they usually find other things to add to their forts. I also tell them if they want to be bored it is their choice just don't bug someone else who is having fun. Good Luck!

Oh my gosh, yes to your whole post but especially the bold! Thanks, good luck to you too!

[WImom]

Thanks for the ideas.

[JoseyJo]

no, I don't bring it in. The tent has a rainfly, so if it rains, it won't matter, unless it's a huge storm, in which case I would probably take it down.

The other stuff generally stays in it's area, such as dress up in the playhouse, though I do use Rubbermaid containers for things that shouldn't be exposed to the elements for long time periods. I just make sure we clean it up at the end of the day and everything is in it's place, just like the playroom.

A good alternative for putting things a way is to get a small shelving unit and rubbermaid containers that can be left outside and used to put stuff away at the end of the day.

Getting ready to re-vamp our play area for the summer! I'm going to set up a flower station in a Rubbermaid container and would love some ideas of other "stations" that can be kept outside (either left out, or put up in containers).

Also, does anyone have any ideas on how to get the shelving unit to stay up and not fall over in the wind?

Thanks!

[Jewels]

My rubbermaid shelving unit is up against the house by the basement door, and under the deck, they aren't waterproof, so water will still get in during rainfall, which isn't a big deal for toys, but I keep our mosquito lanterns in there and those can't get wet.......I don't think you could just set one in the yard without support, it would fall over.

[Cradle2crayons]

My rubbermaid shelving unit is up against the house by the basement door, and under the deck, they aren't waterproof, so water will still get in during rainfall, which isn't a big deal for toys, but I keep our mosquito lanterns in there and those can't get wet.......I don't think you could just set one in the yard without support, it would fall over.

We have one of those outside rubber plastic cabinets made by Rubbermaid that we use...l it has several shelves and two outer doors. We keep it master locked. We keep our pool chemicals in there as well as pool toys and then on the shelves we keep separate Rubbermaid containers with different stuff for outside in them.

Those Rubbermaid cabinets ARE waterproof but that's the only thing I've found that is so far.