Finding safe, fun outdoor activities for kids in all weathers may be a little challenging but definitely isn't impossible. With the right kids clothes outdoor play can be enjoyed on most days. Anyone can find something fun and exciting to do during the warmer weather but what about those wind-swept autumn days or frost-bitten winter mornings?
Actually, finding something to do in all weather is more about an attitude change than an activity change. More and more these days we feel it may be too wet to go out or too cold when actually even a short period outdoors in inclement weather can make for a lot of fun.
A New Twist On Old Favourites
Not only can the activities be entertainment but it is a perfect way to teach children to be more aware of the world around them and how seasons work to affect the plant and animal life on earth. This in turn will bring them to think with empathy on other ways of life and how to better care for their environment.
Backyard cricket - This iconic game of Australia is a summer played sport but that doesn't mean you can't play forms of it in other seasons. You can use it to link back to some of our heritage and even use it to explore the cultures of the other countries that play. Tippety Run is an easy form of the game where you must run between wickets anytime the ball is hit. Wickets can be anything, even plastic rubbish bins, and because it is an active game it will keep kiddies warm on cooler days. It teaches teamwork as well.
Kite Making - the best things about kites is they need a windy day to fly so autumn and spring are going to be perfect. Of course, no electrical storms for flying but a good stiff wind is perfect and means less work to get the kite off the ground. Children will find these easy to make and with some encouragement and some basic kite flying principles they will soon be doing their own designs. The tails can be long and fancy and a big kite is a wonderful group project. This is a great way to discuss how birds fly and what other things might be found airborne in the autumn and spring. Older kids can learn about the power in lightning and how it can travel to the earth.
Treasure Hunt - Depending on where you live and how safe you feel the children will be wandering around it may pay to split into teams with an older teenager or adult with no more than two younger children. Toddler and preschoolers should always have adult supervision. You may need to take a drive to find a suitable spot if you live in a city.
A rock the size of a 20c coin
The longest stick you can find
A spiky leaf
Something the shape of a love heart
This can be done in several ways and is fantastic for all age groups; you simply adjust the clues according to age group. You can also award prizes for certain categories. A sample list might be:
You can tell them not to destroy anything living to get the objects and even a few showers won't hurt this one at all. Just get them to don the raincoats, hats and boots and get excited about going out into the rain for a little while.
Outdoor Painting - Painting outdoors is perfect if there is going to be a big downpour likely. It's easy to do when the cement or walls are already wet. Use big paintbrushes and safe, water soluble paints. Even big pavement chalk is fantastic to run out in between showers to draw and then watch it get washed away. This is the perfect opportunity to discuss how rain is formed in the clouds and what happens when it rains. Kids can watch the clouds moving fast in a stormy sky and make up stories about them and then try to paint those stories. Imaginations will run wild.
Sprinkler Play - Once before we could turn on the sprinkler on a hot day and play until our heart's content. But the reality of water shortages is pertinent today and responsibility with water is an important thing to instill in our kids. They can still have sprinkler play but place the sprinkler into a pool and discuss ways to reuse the water when they have finished with it. It might be to put on the winter veggie patch that you sow in early summer. Water is an excellent source of education and play. Rainy days can help to show children what happens to water, where it goes after the drain hole, and what effect it has on the place it ends up in.
There really is no limit as long as you don't mind a bit more kids clothing in the wash. Once rugged up well even breaking ice in puddles on a frosty morning is so much fun. There is a huge variety of kids clothes and kids protective clothes available today so no more excuses about the weather being bad, go and enjoy our world.
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