Spring is here and with it comes time to spend outside with the family! Children are able to finally get out of the house and run and explore outside. Besides the nice weather, the animals and bugs are starting to come back, which turns your boring backyard into an oasis of fun and imagination for your toddler. Check out these top five unique activities for your toddler to enjoy in your own backyard!
Unique Ways to Entertain Your Toddler Outside
These five activities are not only a great way to entertain your toddler, but many of them are inexpensive and easy to introduce. Remember, toddlers learn by doing, so the messier the better. Let them be in charge and lead the play! Check out these fun activities and find your favorite to start today!
- Create a bug world: This one is my favorite activity of all! Find an old shoe box, container or something around your house and let your toddler fill it with all the wonderful things they can find in the backyard. Help them build this fun bug world and then start hunting. Using a cup or shovel, move the bugs into your world and let them watch the bugs explore. When you are done, simply let the bugs go and continue to enjoy your backyard!
- Play in the mud: Find a corner of the yard with dirt and add a little water. Let them feel the mud, explore the texture, add more water to see what happens, etc! The possibilities are endless and your child will love getting a chance to get dirty. Add some cups and a shovel to elevate the playtime as well.
- Plant a tiny garden: If you have a toddler that loves to be a helper, this one is for you! Go to the store and pick up three or four plants and find a space in your yard to plant them. In our yard, it is a small flower box at the end of our deck. Let your child dig the holes, water the plants, and more! They will love to see their plants grow and even produce vegetables for dinner! With only a few plants, this garden is easy to maintain and still provides fun and adventure for your toddler.
- Cut the grass: This may seem like a crazy idea, but hear me out! Give your child a pair of children's scissors and let them cut the grass. This is fantastic fine motor practice, and you do not have to clean up any cutting mess. Scissors are a great way to help build the fine motor skills needed for future writing skills, so anytime you can practice with a toddler or preschooler, the better. Pair this activity will a picnic and you are set for a fabulous afternoon.
- Ice Melting Fun: This one takes a bit of preparation, but is a blast on a warm, spring afternoon. Freeze several of your child's toys (something simple is best) in various containers to create a large block of ice. Once you have the block, take it out into the back yard. Next, fill a cup with warm (not hot) water and some pipets or syringes. I use the ones we have from children's medicine. Show your child how to squirt the water onto the ice block and watch the water melt away from their toys!
These ideas may seem strange or different for your kiddo, but they are fun and exciting for your toddler. Put these ideas in the back of your mind and pull them out when you are looking for a fun way to spice up your afternoon. You will see the delight in your child's eyes as they learn and explore in a whole new way!
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