Creativity expert Courtney Watkins demonstrates easy ways to create outdoor activities for kids that are free.
* Note: While keeping children entertained, try activities during which they learn and use their imagination.
Guesstimation
- Pick two spots in your yard, such as a tree and the end of a sidewalk.
- Have the kids draw a line down the center of a piece of paper and write a "G" for guess on one side and an "A" for actual on the other.
- The children guess or estimate the number of steps it will take to get from one point to the other. (List several methods that could be used to cover the distance, such as baby steps, somersaults, doggie steps, etc.)
- After guessing a number for each method, the children can find the actual number by trying them. Compare each actual number with the estimated number to see how close they came.
Adjective Scavenger Hunt
* Note: Before beginning the hunt, set up boundaries to insure the safety of the participants.
- Make a list for each child to follow in the hunt. The difference between this hunt and the typical scavenger hunt is that the list is made of adjectives instead of nouns.
- To complete the scavenger hunt, each child finds objects that can be described using an adjective on his or her list. (Give the children paper bags or other container in which they can store their objects.)
Backyard Olympics
- To avoid hurting anyone's feelings when choosing teams, pin a number made of cloth or paper to the shirt of each child. Think of original number combinations to form teams, such as even and odd numbers, dates of special events, etc.
- It is a lot of fun to have the children invent different games, but some suggestions are a watermelon seed-spitting contest, a bean bag toss and a three-legged pillowcase race.
- Be sure to have ribbons for all of the contestants because everyone is a winner in the Backyard Olympics!
* Note: Because the children will be playing very hard in the backyard, you should have plenty of water, juice or punch available.
* Tip: Burning any citrus-scented candle will help repel bugs.
Resources Courtney's Creative Adventures
by Courtney Watkins
Little, Brown & Co., 2002
Order this title from Amazon.com.
Guests Courtney Watkins
Creativity Expert
E-mail:
Courtney@CourtneyWatkins.com
Website:
www.courtneywatkins.com
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