Outdoors

How Climbing Trees Builds Creative Thinking

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Have you ever climbed a tree? Do your kids like climbing trees? This has never been high on my list, even back in the nursery school days, but my 3 year old N has climbing in her soul and will climb just about anything: rock climbing walls, trees, jungle gyms, furniture, fences, etc. She seems [...]

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DIY Water Wall

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Does it feel like summer in your part of the world? It’s heating up here, and my kids have been enjoying this easy and inexpensive new backyard water feature. All you need is a nearby water source and a wall to attach it to. I’ve been inspired by Let the Children Play once again! Last summer Jenny [...]

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New Outdoor Art Studio

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Did I ever tell you that our backyard used to be a dirt patch? It would have been perfectly lovely for a team of dogs, but it’s driven me nuts since we first moved in.  I’ve tried all sorts of hacks to make it more appealing. I’m a DIY-hacky kind of girl, after all!. First, [...]

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Rainbow Photo Scavenger Hunt

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We’ve had a lot of fun playing this game that’s all about learning and searching for the colors of the rainbow. We started playing this game when my daughter wanted to learn the order of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. All you need is a camera and some time. We like to play [...]

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Water Scooping for Babies

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While my older daughter tore up the grass with the Slip ‘n Slide, I set my 10 month old up with a bucket of water and some measuring cups. And she got right to work, filling and emptying the cups. It was interesting to watch her attempt to fill the cups when they were upside [...]

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Art in the Park

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Can you imagine my excitement when the folks at Elmer’s Glue asked if I’d like to participate as a blogger in their summer Kid’s Craft Camp promotion? Of course I was thrilled that they offered me a humongous crate of wonderful art supplies (featured in this post), but mostly I was thinking about how on [...]

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Driftwood Sculptures and See-Saws

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We went to a San Gregorio State Beach, a beach absolutely littered with driftwood and some of the most wonderful soft sand. My 10-month old was in sand heaven! Driftwood sculptures (like the one at the top) spotted the sand for as far as the eye could see. (which wasn’t too far, truthfully, given all [...]

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Photo Documentary with Kids

Taking time to look closely at the details of life is a skill that comes naturally to many of us, and worth fostering in children who can run like the wind. When we pay attention to details, we develop a healthy curiosity of the world that surrounds us, make comparisons, and notice nuance. And all of these [...]

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Painted Paper Mural

It’s summer, so just about everything we’re doing over here has taken us outside. And I also have a 10-month old who’s far happier outside than in, so I’m busy dreaming up all sorts of things that will keep my 3-year old entertained in the great outdoors. This project could also be easily set up [...]

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