Spring Outdoor Play: Babies and Toddlers

This week in our play circles we are discussing the myriad of ideas of getting outside with babies and toddlers. As promised, here is a compilation of inspiration to get you going:

As the warm weather returns it's inspiring to get outside and enjoy all that our area has to offer! We are so lucky to be surrounded by blooms, birds and brilliant sunshine. Simply taking a walk both in the stroller/backpack and out will surely bring joy to your day. Be sure to listen for new sounds, smell the fresh flowers and allow time for your child to search for treasure to bring home. We love to accumulate a season's worth of treasure on our nature table. It could be a shelf or a bucket or a special basket for keeping treasure (sticks, rocks and flowers/leaves, etc) safe for future play.

Babies! It's a simple as putting out a blanket in the shade maybe even cuddling up for an afternoon nap listening to all of the sounds of spring. Babies love to be out in the fresh air. For older babies, they may wish to explore away from the blanket and into water, dirt or sand. Be sure to protect from sun with light long sleeves and a hat or opt for an umbrella if they are going to be out in direct sun. For more inspiration check out this mama's blog, she has a few ideas plus load's of links for more ideas:  Baby Play Inspiration

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Older babies and toddlers tend to love to spend time outside and if you have the space, you can create super simple exploration spaces. Think rocks and sand, a water table, flowers, bubbles or maybe a swing hanging in a tree! An outdoor bath in a portable tub is fun. Safe water play means the water level is really low (1-2 inches) unless you plan to be right there with them the whole time. Messy art play like edible finger painting or simply using water with paint brushes on cement or rocks can be great fun. Using the landscape of your yard can be perfect for a little daily exploration but if you'd like to dream bigger I've collected a few links below.

If gardening is your jam, consider a play garden for your little one. A place all to themselves where they can tend flowers or edibles and build their own fairy homes. It's never too early to introduce the concept of gardening and where our food comes from. If you have a picky eater, this can be a game changer! Learning how food is grown and participating can really be encouraging. A side note: visiting local farms may also be inspiring. Follow the chain all the way to the market and ask them to pick out their own produce.  Sensory Play Garden

Another sweet element to incorporate is sound! Your yard is probably already filled with wonderful sounds but if you'd like to go one step further consider a sound wall, or wind chimes that your child can access: Sound Wall. These can be simple or you can get carried away in the ideas. Sensory gardens have become quite the fad including smell and touch components as well. 

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If you're ready for an overload of inspiration, this link from The Imagination Tree should do the trick! She has you covered from sand pits to climbing structures to mud kitchens and much more. Note that many of these images are from preschools, no need to feel overwhelmed. Also keep in mind that children have vast imaginations. They don't need everything perfect and spelled out. In fact, it's ideal to keep it open and ever changing so they can adapt their play space to meet their ongoing stories. Inspiring Outdoor Spaces

No matter your pleasure, get outside with your little ones and explore! Really all you need is yourselves and maybe a good sun hat. I'd love to see pictures of your fun in the comments below. Enjoy the sunshine!