Schedule TourLonger days and warmer temperatures give Vancouver, WA daycares more opportunity to head outdoors with children. Spring and summer activities are not only good for your child’s body and spirit, but they also boost brain development, improving attention and behavior skills.
Explore Nature
During an outdoor walk, children are challenged to find as many ‘nature items’ as possible. They’ll point out birds, bugs, flowers, trees, rocks and even weeds that teachers can name and discuss.
A versatile outdoor activity that lets children appreciate all the colors of summer is ‘finding the colors.’ While walking around outside, or sitting in a circle on the lawn, children are asked to find five blue objects, five yellow objects, five purple objects and so on. Since Vancouver, WA summer days are occasionally rainy, this activity translates well into an indoor game of ‘I Spy’ colors within the classroom.
For an exploration of nature’s sounds, children will sit with eyes closed and name all the sounds they hear. Birdsong, frogs, wind in the trees and water burbling can be a calming, awareness-building activity.
Sandbox and Water Table Fun
Uncovering the sandbox opens opportunities for building, creating, and digging. Teachers can plant a few ‘treasures’ (like dinosaurs) or painted rocks in the sandbox for unexpected delights.
A water table offers fun and relaxation for children. While they play with boats, measuring cups and plastic fish, they’re also learning to solve problems with other and improve their fine motor skills.
Outdoor Art
On a sunny day, filling a few dish detergent bottles with water gives children a squirtable ‘paint brush’ to use for making sidewalk designs. Sidewalk or playground chalk drawing is another fun, free-form activity for young artists.
Put a little washable craft paint into water balloons, add water, and then let the children burst the balloons on poster board to create ‘splash art’. Or add food coloring or tempera paint to bubble solution and have the children use bubble wands or straws to blow bubbles onto paper. As the bubble pops, it leaves colorful imprints behind.
Summer Exercise
Wake up in the morning with a few yoga poses to strengthen the mind-body connection, boosting confidence and calmness. It may not always be a quiet as an adult class but will probably be more fun!
Dancing games are a great way to get exercise while enjoying music and play. A ‘copycat’ dance has a leader making the ‘moves’ while others mimic. or slow this down by doing a ‘follow-the-leader’ walk, with the leader taking big steps, hops, small steps, or making zig-zag patterns. ‘Freeze’ dancing is another good dance option, building listening and coordination as children freeze in place when the music stops.
Come and Play at KIDSPACE
We’ve touched on only a few of the possibilities for summer activities in Vancouver, WA daycares like ours. For more information, talk with the KIDSPACE staff, or stop by for a visit and tour our outdoor playground.