18mo DCG; Outside Time

[Unregistered]

I've seen similar subjects but not exactly this situation. I am looking for specific solutions...

We go outside now 2-3x a day for 45 minutes to an hour. Not too long. Sometimes it is structured stuff - we have been doing the sensory messy stuff outside - bit usually free play w me getting involved very little. Everyone loves it - except one ~18mo girl. She hates it. She begs to go inside. She will sit on the door stoop and knock on te door or cry/whine. She does not want to play. I have a few theories but I don't know how to address them.

1.) she wears tight ish jeans and I think it's hard for her to move. I could easily change her into sweats while here but I feel like thats almost passive aggressive.

2.) she doesn't know how to play. This seems unlikely since she is pretty good at free play and doesn't need much in the way of me getting involved in play. My understanding of this age group and play is a little shakey but she seems typical and I don't see why she couldn't apply her play skills to the outdoor toys

3.) she's not used to it. The sun. The wind. The dirt. The openness. I have a smallish fenced in hard (high fences, can't see out). I can see where it could feel
Weird if you're used to ceilings . But how would I even help her then?

I don't think we are outside an excessive amount of time. It's not hot here yet. I've tried playin with her. I've tried telling her to go play. I've tried ignoring the whining - she will just sit on the stoop the entre ime I adore this child and I want her to have fun! What do I do?

[preschoolteacher]

We go outside for 1.5-2 hours every day. My group is 12 months to 2.5 years old. So I don't think you're going out too much, and I think she can handle it!

I'd change her into sweats. It's not passive aggressive... it's helping the kid have fun and play.

Can you bring some of her favorite toys outside? Like a doll that can't get dirty or a stroller or even some books and a big blanket? Maybe set her favorite things aside for awhile and only let her play with them outside.

Can you start having snack outside? Maybe she'll get excited about the food aspect and start to enjoy herself a little.

Beyond that, I would keep her away from the door. Every time she went to the door and whined, I would bring her to the farthest place in the yard from the door, give her a favorite toy, and tell her to play. And repeat.

Bubbles, chalk, bring out a CD player and dance? Get some activities going for awhile to draw her in and eventually she'll get used to it and start playing without your help.

[Heidi]

PST has some good ideas.

Another one: Does she like riding in a stroller? Maybe for a while, you could put her in one, take her for a cruise around the yard...."weeeeeeh!", and give her books and toys. take her to the middle of the yard or far end near a chair for you, away from that dang door. Sit near her, but not the whole time. Just periodically.

Maybe she will feel more secure in the stroller, and then as she gets used to the concept of outside, she can graduate to being free?

My 16 month olds are adjusting to outside. Some days, they're great. First day was a nightmare. Sometimes, 2 are crying at the gate, 9 month old is crying on his mat, and 2 year old is ignoring everything, digging in the sand. I had to go around the corner and give myself a timeout on Wednesday! I'm waiting for my neighbors to call me or licensing to show up, seriously!

[llpa]

When I first opened las August, my 20 mo was terrified of being outdoors to play so we started by taking a walk each day around the play yard and he"helped" me find toys I had "lost". We did that everyday for a week. I did this while the other dcb I had played and played. The second week I brought a big playmat out for him and dcb2 to play on and I put things on there I knew dcb2 loved to play w. By week three dcb1 was involved and having fun. Sounds like a lot of work. But my little guy wasn't dirty much at home and to that point was only outside on a clean play area with mom or dad. So he just wasn't used to the " bigness" of it and the dirt etc. I also made sure he had access to messy sensory items like sand and water, shaving cream and paint etc inside so inside was messy too. Now he digs in w the best of em!::

[spinnymarie]

I think those are all awesome ideas. I'd definitely change her pants, if she is crying and this could help, I think it's definitely logical and no one can fault you for it

[cheerfuldom]

I would change her pants or insist the parents provide something more comfortable.

I would also not allow her near the door. For instance, I have a small cement patio right outside the back door. I have had a number of kids through the years that hated outside time and would stand by the back door and cry. Now, I dont allow that. I dont allow them on the cement patio (the cryers that is) so it is a clear boundary. 99% of the time, if I can keep them off the patio/away from the door, they will go play or at least stop crying. The door becomes like a blanket or pacifier where a kid is just crying and crying for that all day.....throw it and cut them off cold turkey and that solves the problem quickly. I would bet that this little one does not go outside much. I see that more and more with my daycare kids. I had a 2 year old whose parents told me she had never been in her own backyard. A lot of kids dont run errands with their parents and some dont even have yards at all so the grass can be scary at first. I know that sounds weird but the same thing happens with puppy-mill dogs that have never been outside....they panic with the grass and wind and sun.

[Rachel]

What kind of toys do you have outside? Is she bored? I have my play kitchen, sand, a slide and see saw thing, plus doll stroller and ride on cars and balls. Plus a bunch of random things.

As far as being by the door, don't let her sit on the stoop. It will take time to get used to the rules.

I'm not sure why her pants would bother her outside and not inside. Is she more sensitive to light or the weather? Cold or hot?

[nothingwithoutjoy]

One of my toddlers' favorite activities--and the thing that got some of the miserable ones willing to explore the yard--was a daily "hunt" for bugs and worms. I have a path lined with logs, and we'd roll them over daily to see what we could find underneath.

[Cradle2crayons]

One of my toddlers' favorite activities--and the thing that got some of the miserable ones willing to explore the yard--was a daily "hunt" for bugs and worms. I have a path lined with logs, and we'd roll them over daily to see what we could find underneath.

THat works great here too.. Especially when one child yells "miss Lynn! I found one of those hugeeeeeeeeee cool grasshoppers!!" And then every child goes running to see the cooooooooool grasshoppers .