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I have a couple of questions regarding the time you spend outside in the garden Not on trips etc..
First of all, how long do you find being outside tends to keep the children's interest for? I'm finding 20-30 minutes before they start to lose focus.
Also I was going to do a one out all out thing but if a baby is asleep it seems a silly opportunity to miss outdoor play at this time with slightly older ones (toddlers) but what dyou all do? Dyou take monitors in to the garden etc?
Thank you x
Yes, take monitor into the garden.
We can spend a whole morning in the garden- water play, sand pit, painting, ride-ons, balls... might be just a few minutes on an activity but just as much to do out there as there is inside. Take a basket of books out, paper and crayons, chalks for the patio. Snack time outside and all meals too.
I agree, at this time of year my playroom and garden become free flow and we can spend hours outside, I love eating outside too :-). I don't do many adult led activities, I just try and make it engaging and let them play :-) yesterday I took the opportunity to do some weeding and of course I had a little helper, and also when I pegged some washing out.
We spend as much time outside as possible, garden or allotment. Children needing a rest/sleep either in buggy or cuddled up on cushions, rugs, blankets. This week one of my little ones made herself a cosy corner in the prolly tunnel and slept peacefully for 2 hours xx
We can also spend lots of time outside. I normally have water play and sand play, the kids have found a spot in the garden to dig and make muddy. Sometimes they play with sticks, stones, picking flowers. I take monitors into the garden if someone is asleep. I don't have free flow - it's all out at the same time, as I can't see all the children when I'm inside.
We spent all morning in the garden, came in for lunch, nap time, then out into the garden again. The children happily spend all day out there and rarely want to come in.
I do have free flow which does help when the babies are asleep and the others are outside, although I will sometimes take the babies outside to sleep.
We often also spend all morning or afternoon out in the garden, sometimes both. It's important to have good seating for you so that you can sit when the children don't need you (my back starts to hurt if I stand around for long periods, I'm fine if I'm moving around).
I can't do indoor/outdoor and so have also taken sleeping babies out in the pushchair.
'20-30 minutes before they lose focus'
Not sure what you mean by focus? Do they want to come in after that? Do they get silly? Do they flit?
I find that the key is setting up the garden as an outdoor learning environment that children can explore and spend a long time absorbed in play.
But the adult role is also key. If you are enthusiastic about being outside it will rub off on the children, naturally.
I have posted lots about how I love the outdoors...but my environment is not a typical nursery playground....it really is a retired couples garden....but the children have lots of areas ...and some things are take out and put away so that the garden instantly returns to mine.
I have about 20 'focus' activities that the children have access to....which are often jobs around the garden, they love gardening probably because I do. So we always do something in this area, Spring and Summer is planting seeds, pricking out, planting out, watering and watering and watering..dead heading and harvesting..... and weeding and watering .. We do a 'Darwin' walk - around the garden and just look at whats new/ changes....I have half a dozen bug homes which need investigating and constantly added to. A digging area. An outdoor kitchen, we feed the birds daily, lots of natural materials in baskets. A few hidden planks and logs become walkways and jumping off areas, throw balls in areas, picture frames for loose part art. Spades, trowels, construction vehicles and children sized sweeping brushes, all sorts of brushes for magic painting with water....trellis and pipes...The children are introduced to all the sorts of activities..slowly, then they know what is available and ask for things or I have a storage area that the children can easily access. I rotate or design activities to put out from the shed after consulting with them ....then they choose to experience ...or not. Imaginative play is currently a favourite with the 3 year olds and the younger one loves following...the bushes and secluded area become magic areas ....We make a dinosaurland and fairy land annually which adds to this play.
Resource, rotate and enjoy yourself and the children will follow....My resources are definately different to indoor resources, yes they take books out and writing materials and we often do art outside but it is different to indoor writing and markmaking and different to going out in our nature reserve or field or urban environment.
Clothes are important too, so that they keep warm/ dry or don't get too hot. Wellies and clogs. Play suits / puddle suits. Shaded areas help, either natural or child made dens.
I know the big thing is to let the children play and take their play to the next level, but I feel(love) I have to play too to be a role model to show them how to ...then I step back.....and usually garden with another one tagging along. ......watering.
I can relate to the watering. Today the 19 month old spent ages watering everything in sight and then decided to give himself and another child a shower with the watering can :laughing: It's a good job it was sunny so their clothes dried quickly!Quote:
Originally Posted by FloraDora
Yup watering is very popular here too!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mouse