DAY 3: Sand, Water, Bubbles, Chalk, and Mud

~Our 19 DAY JOURNEY or inspiration, activities, and resources continues!~

In a normal week, getting outside for our family is quite the ordeal. We live in the city (against our will) in an eight-story building. In order to get out to nature, we have to leave our apartment, go out to our parking garage, load the kids into the car, and drive ten minutes just to get the kids to somewhere with grass that they are allowed to run on. In a normal week, in a normal season, we frequent the park, the pool, the zoo, the botanical gardens, or fruit farms an hour away. For the past three weeks, however, getting outside has meant sitting with our kids out on our tiny balcony ‒about the length and width of a queen-sized bed. Oh! And we also took them on a “nature walk” a week ago…. in a parking lot. At least it was a treed parking lot.

But even our tiny balcony, with our little collection of potted plants, surprisingly lush tomato bushes, and sandbox for the kids, is an absolute heavenly escape from being trapped inside all day. And for that I am thankful. Being outside is pure magic for kids (and adults), and works wonders for moodiness, boredom, and frenetic energy.

So, forget your normal outings! Get outside with your kids ‒ if you can ‒ anywhere you can! If you have a yard, hurray! And also, I’m super jealous. If you are in an apartment in the city like my family is, you may not even be allowed access outside right now. If you are in an area that is not quarantined or you have a back yard or even a porch, many of these ideas may be useful for you. But if you absolutely do not have any access to the great outdoors, (not even a queen-sized balcony), firstly, I’m so sorry, and secondly, scroll down for tips on how to have the great outdoors come to you.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITES ‒ for any space & any age!

All Ages:

• have a picnic
• read outside
• paint outside
• plant something, anything!!
• make a mud pit
• have a campout
• have a bonfire
• have a barbeque
• birdwatch
• observe insects
• have a suits & sprinklers party
• order a slip n’ slide
• have a silly string war
• have an egg toss
• create an obstacle course
• have an egg hunt, or an anything hunt!!
  

  Littles:

•  play in a kiddy pool
• make a sand box
• give paint brushes and a bucket of water for kids to “paint” with water on cement
• blow bubbles
• order sidewalk chalk
• dig for worms, dig for beetles, dig for ants, or just dig!
• use rubber stamps and water to make prints on the cement
• make a simple “music garden” with pots, pans or any play instruments they have

Middles & Bigs:

• have a squirt gun battle
• have an ultimate Nerf gun war
• have a water balloon fight
• play Frisbee
• play Basketball
• play Soccer
• make a mini-golf course
• play capture the flag
• make a movie outdoors
• pull weeds, spread mulch, build raised planters
• build a birdhouse
• play outdoor twister or make a life-size backyard board game
  

  If you absolutely cannot get outside, here are some ideas to bring the OUTSIDE IN:

All Ages:

• bring the elements into your house; open all the window and let in as much light at you possibly can, order kinetic sand, play with water, light candles, diffuse essential oils, etc.
• plant something -anything- inside! order seeds and potting soil if you have to and use egg cartons and yogurt cups for planting seed starters
• listen to nature-inspired classical music (such as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, The William Tell Overture, or Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers)
• have an indoor picnic
• turn on nature sounds and have an indoor campout
• have an indoor egg hunt, or scavenger hunt
• draw or paint by the window
• order a butterfly kit
• order an ant farm
• watch National Geographic & Discovery
  

  Littles:

• turn on jungle sounds, turn off the lights, and have a flashlight safari!
• have a pool party in the bathtub
• create an outdoor “small world” (google Waldorf “small world play”)
• set up an indoor playground
• set up a stuffed animal farm or petting zoo
• use masking tape to make a road or train track on non-carpeted flooring
• play indoor hopscotch using bean bags, throw pillows, or masking tape
• make an ice rink and frozen figurines
  

  Middles & Bigs:

• play indoor capture the flag
• have a game of ultimate indoor Nerf
• make an herb or succulent wall
• paint a nature inspired wall mural
• set up a solarium in a sunny room
• make a nature-themed collage

PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH ANOTHER STIR-CRAZY FAMILY!

Or leave a comment with how you and your kids embrace nature today!

Love, ~Our Holistic Homeschool~