25 min
Shadow Drawing
Stand a toy in the sun and draw around its shadow.
🥣
Mud Kitchen
Old pans, a bucket of soil, some water, and no rules at all.
Messy, outdoor, entirely open-ended, and children return to it for years.
Ce qu’il vous faut
- old saucepans and spoons
- a bucket of soil
- water
- leaves and petals
Comment faire
- Find a corner of the garden you do not mind being churned up.
- Put out old pans, a wooden spoon, and a bowl.
- Add a bucket of soil and a small watering can of water.
- Say nothing about what to make.
- Leave it set up so they can return to it another day.
Pourquoi c’est bon pour eux
Mixing, pouring and testing consistency is early experimentation, and the absence of a correct outcome is what makes children stay with it so long. Outdoor soil play also has documented benefits for immune development.
Adapter selon l’âge
2 to 3 yearsA shallow tray of soil rather than a whole corner.
8 to 12 yearsChallenge them to make a mixture that holds a shape when turned out.
Sécurité
Use clean garden soil, not compost with fertiliser. Avoid areas cats use. Wash hands thoroughly afterwards, and cover any cuts.
Astuce rangement
Strip at the back door and put clothes straight in the machine.
Dans le même esprit
60 min
One Box, Anything
A big box, some tape, and no instructions whatsoever.
35 min
Giant Floor Drawing
Tape a huge sheet of paper to the floor and let them draw on their hands and knees.
30 min
Paint a Pebble
Find a smooth stone, paint it, leave it somewhere for a stranger.
25 min
Draw What You Can See
One window, one pencil, twenty minutes of genuine quiet.
30 min
Paint the Snow
Coloured water in a spray bottle and a garden full of blank canvas.