Taking babies outside is so much fun for everyone involved. There are many benefits to taking your baby outside for both baby and mom.
Even just spending a short time outside can give both of you a break and some natural sun exposure while exposing your infant to a new environment full of sensory play. As your baby grows there are many ways that they can learn while being outside while participating in calm, enjoyable and inexpensive activities. Playing outdoor also helps with sensory, social development, fine motor skills and self-regulation.
Here are fifteen activities that you can do with your baby or toddler while you spend time with him outside:
Talk - Talk about everything. Talk about what they hear - cars and trucks, birds and bugs. Talk about what they see - a sprouting flower, a flying butterfly. Talk about what they are feeling - the blades of grass, a smooth rock. Point out trees, grass, and flowers, saying the words for each object several times. He may not be able to say the words yet, but he’s absorbing everything he hears and sees.
Picnic – Bring your baby’s favorite foods and books. He will enjoy eating his favorite treats and hearing you read books to him in a new environment.
Hide and Seek with Objects – Gather some natural objects such as a smooth rock, a pine cone or a flower. Cover the objects with a cloth and say “Where did the pine cone go?” Watch as he delights when one of you pulls the cover off to discover the hidden treasure.
Bubbles – This fun activity never fails to entertain. Your baby will enjoy watching the bubbles and your toddler will enjoy chasing the bubbles.
Tummy Time – Put down a blanket and place baby near the edge and let them feel the grass, sidewalk or leaves.
Walk Around - Push strollers to places where babies can see, and touch the environment. Let them smell the flowers, feel the rough bark of a tree, the soft grasses or grains of sand and explore the textures of large stones and rocks.
Pond – Take a baby near a pond with ducks and fish. Bring some breadcrumbs and feed the ducks and fish while the baby watches. If it is safe, let the baby feed the fish and ducks too.
Sandboxes - Let your baby fill and empty pails or sift sand with a flour sifter. They will enjoy learning how sand feels dry and how it feels wet. Pouring and scooping can show cause and effect. They can bury objects and then dig them up again. This teaches object permanence.
Playground – A playground is a great place to take a toddler to help build their muscles and learn how their bodies work and gain confidence in their abilities. Don’t forget to bring snacks.
Water – Fill a large plastic pool or bucket with water and household items such as measuring cups, plastic bowls and cups. Let your toddler scoop up water and pour it back into the pool. If the container is big enough let your child play inside making sure he is supervised at all times.
Obstacle Course – Set up an obstacle course for you little one to play in. Set up a series of objects such as boxes, hoops and tunnels. Older kids can practice following directions such as “Crawl through the tunnel and bring mommy a flower.” Younger kids will enjoy crawling around and through everything. Obstacle courses can also be easily changed if your children get bored with what is already setup.
Create Art – Tape an old bed sheet or large piece of paper to the ground or fence and let her draw, color or paint until her little heart is content.
Paint Your Surroundings – Fill up a bucket with water and give your toddler some mini paint rollers or brushes and let them paint the concrete or trees. Toddler can experience cause and effect as things go from dry to wet back to dry.
Create Music – On a blanket spread some homemade instruments such as pasta in an empty water bottle, metal bowls and wooden spoons. Encourage your toddler to dance by giving them ribbon or a scarf to twirl.
Parachute – Bring a bed sheet or blanket and have your toddler hold on to one side as you hold on to the other. Flap the sheet up and down as you play a game of peek-a-boo.
