Children love everything to do with the great outdoors. They enjoy exploring, jumping in mud, splashing in streams and spotting wildlife. Without even realising it, outdoor fun also provides many educational benefits to your child.
To help you discover the benefits of outdoor learning, here are four outdoor activities to try with your children, suggested by a private school in Surrey…
- Go on a bug hunt
Start your outdoor learning with an introduction to the fascinating world of insects! Pack a magnifying glass and let your child study insects up close, watching their behaviour and exploring their homes. Where do they live? How many can they count? Teach your child fascinating bug facts and get them to record their observations in a bug diary. You will soon see their appreciation of insects grow as they learn more about their magnificent miniature world.
- Grow your own
Growing a vegetable patch is a great way to teach your child about where food comes from. It is also an ideal way to encourage them to add more of this healthy food into their diet. By growing your own veggies you can help your child to explore seasonality, as well as germination. They will enjoy watching their vegetables grow and then they will have the pleasure of picking and eating their very own produce!
- Build a bird feeder
Build a bird feeder with your child to encourage different types of birds to visit your garden! Making a bird feeder is a really quick and easy activity. All you need is some bendy wire, string, raisins and some chopped up apple and cheese. Simply chop the apple and cheese into small cubes and then carefully thread these cubes, along with the raisins onto the wire like a necklace. Make a loop at the top to hook it up and that’s it! Once you’ve created your feeder, sit back and observe the wonderful species it attracts.
- Plan a camping trip
If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you could consider a family camping trip. During your trip your child can learn about survival skills, map reading, how to use a compass and how to make a camp fire. Developing a love and respect of nature is so important for children and camping is an excellent way to encourage this. It is also a good opportunity to tear your youngsters away from their gadgets for a little while!
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post
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