Spending time outside
Spring is a beautiful time when nature comes to life. It is worth observing these changes with children and sensitizing them to the beauty of the world. It is also the period when cleaning in gardens, balconies and plots begins. So you can involve a preschooler to participate in these activities. Raking, digging, planting or sowing often becomes great fun, giving children a lot of joy and satisfaction. So what is worth proposing to preschoolers?
- 1) leaf rake and path sweeping – children as young as 4 or 5 years old often have a lot of energy. The ideal solution is therefore to provide them with appropriate-sized buckets and a rake. Let them collect redundant leaves, branches or pebbles in their containers. To make this time a bit more attractive, you can pretend with your children that rakes are brooms you can fly on. Adding the plot to the cleaning works in the garden means that they will be carried out with even greater commitment.
- 2) Watering plants – spring and summer are times when there is often little rain, and plants, like all living organisms, need water. So it is an ideal starting point for discussions about how to care for plants and what the watering process looks like. Due to the fact that children love playing with water, will they be very interested in watering plants together, and perhaps also playing in the mud?
- 3) A small vegetable garden – even if you do not have a plot or garden, it is worth setting up a small garden with your child. It can be located on the balcony or on the windowsill of the house. So we plant bulbs and sow vegetables together. Each pot should be signed so that the child knows what can grow in it. We also determine what the care time will look like. Taking care of plants teaches children to be responsible and systematic.
- 4) Reading books about plants – while spending free time together, you can also devote to learning about the names of flowers that can bloom in the garden. Flowers should also be described by listing their characteristic features such as the size of leaves, petals or dominant colors. Thanks to this, we also improve the ability to independently build oral statements in children and to answer a previously asked question.
5) Walks in the forest / park – walks are a very important part of everyday life for every child. In spring and summer, when nature impresses with its lushness and colors, it is worth going to the forest or park. Together, you can observe the plants and look for their names. After such a walk, it is worth bringing home cones, twigs or leaves and making them an art piece.
Time spent outdoors gives children not only a chance to “run out”, but also allows them to get to know the world around them. Preschoolers who are given such opportunities are calmer, more motivated to act and better cope with emerging emotions.
Spring and summer are the times when the weather is fine, so playing outdoors should be a basic element in the schedule every DayJ