With the days warming up, getting longer, and the sun shining, it's almost impossible to run out of fun outdoor ideas. Make sure and get your kids as much sun as you can, and don't be afraid to let them get messy!
Painting With Water
All you need for this is a cup or bucket of water, some paintbrushes, and a surface to paint on! It's great for kids because they can use the brushes and still make creations, and great for you because of the lack of mess.
As long as it's outside, of course! They can have all their fun, and once you're finished, it'll simply dry and disappear. This can be done on your driveway, a wood fence, the side of a house, even on your car. Water will dry, but they'll have the fun memories for a long time!
Crazy Paint Party
This is better done with multiple children, or a class of them if you work in a child care center, but with this one what you do is take a large sheet of paper, I'm talking 3 ft X 8 ft, then throw some different colors of paint on there and let your kids walk, crawl, and swirl it all around.
This is definitely meant to be done outside with swimsuits because odds are this paint is getting everywhere.
There isn't any way it's supposed to turn out, and that's the fun of it is seeing what you get out of it! Many ages will love it, of course, but this can be a very fun activity to do with infants or toddlers who aren't so keen on drawing their own art.
Get In That Rain
Of course, there's plenty of ways to keep your kids busy when it's warm out and the sun is shining. But what if you're stuck inside while it's pouring, and your kids really, really need that time outside?
The best part of being a kid is making messes and getting dirty, so go get those rain boots on and jump some puddles! They'll love a chance to play in the rain and get muddy, and you'll love to get them out of the house and get that energy out. Make sure you have the proper attire to go out there, and that there isn't any lighting or severe weather.
It would also be smart to go ahead and set some towels by the door before you get out there too, they'll need them when they get done!
Frozen Exploration
This is a fun way to fill some time, but plan ahead for it! All you do is take a bowl ow water, throw in some toys, and freeze it! The toys can be random or go with a theme, like bugs, dinosaurs, ocean life, etc.
Once it's frozen, take it out of its container and give them some tools to break out their little critters! Done outside, what gets broken off will melt, and it will help the kids as the ice softens while they work.
Make sure the tools are age appropriate! This is great for Pre-K and Elementary age kids, they'll enjoy getting to break the ice and see what they can find.
If you want to add to it, you can throw in some food coloring so the toys are harder to see, or to just add color to it. This can be done with other substances too, like Jell-O!
Chalk It Up
A famous go-to of course is breaking out a good box of chalk. This can also be a great way to help your kids while learning colors, shapes, numbers, and letters!
They can show their creativity, and you get a beautifully decorated driveway or sidewalk. These can also be used on fences, but it's probably best to keep it away from your car. Get some bubbles out too and they'll have a hay day with it all!
After all, that's what being a kid is all about. Let them have their fun, and worry about how to clean it up later. Make sure to get yourself involved with them too and help them learn, shape, and grow!
