Recommended Age: 4 to 5 years Level of Parent Involvement: Medium, this exercise requires the adult to facilitate the activity by giving the child experience with comparative (long, longer, short, shorter) and superlative (long, longest, short, shortest) language using sticks in the outdoor environment as a resource Prerequisites The child must be able to concentrate on […]
Recommended Age: 2 and ½ years and onwards Level of Parent Involvement: Low, mostly preparation, modelling and supervision. Once the child has been shown encourage independent repetition Prerequisites Beneficial but not essential that the child can recognise numerals 1-6 Materials Chalk (for outdoors) OR Painters tape/masking tape (for indoors) Preparation Using the chalk or […]
Recommended Age: 3 years and onwards Level of Parent Involvement: Medium the first time showing the child then low once the child works independently Prerequisites None Materials Items typically found outdoors for example leaves, twigs, rocks, bark, flowers, gumnuts etc A basket or bag for the child to collect the objects Preparation None Steps […]
Recommended Age: 2 and ½ years onwards Level of Parent Involvement: Medium, this activity requires the adult to be the facilitator, low for older children who may be able to play this game without an adult Prerequisites None Materials Small object to pass around (the “potato”) for example a bean bag, a ball or a […]
Recommended Age: 3y+ Level of Parent Involvement: Low Preparation Go for Nature Walks with your child around your garden or suburb to collect a variety of natural objects to add to your collection. Materials A collection of different leaves, flowers, petals, seeds, rocks, pinecones, shells, etc. A plain coloured surface to be […]
Recommended Age: 2.5y+ Level of Parent Involvement: High Prerequisites An obvious curiosity about and interest in nature, which is visible to your child and that he will naturally choose to imitate. Materials Appropriate clothing. For example, a waterproof jacket, beanie, gum boots, etc. (“There’s nosuch thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing!”) Adult and child […]
Recommended Age: 3y+ Level of Parent Involvement: Low, mostly preparation and supervision Materials Sidewalk chalk for outdoors A concrete/paved drive or pathway Steps Using the sidewalk chalk, draw a long line with straight sections, turns and loops on the concrete drive/pathway. Explain to your child that you are going to walk on the line. Model […]
Recommended Age: 2+ Level of Parent Involvement: Medium, mostly preparation Materials Flowers Card stock Bowl of water Steps Explain to your child that petals can be used to paint paper Show your child how to pluck petals from a flower Invite your child to pluck the remaining petals When the petals are all plucked, place them […]
Recommended Age: 2+ Level of Parent Involvement: Low Materials Chalk (outdoors) or painter’s tape (indoors) Steps Draw or make solid circles about two inches apart in a straight line. Explain to your child that the circles are for hopping. “Try not to touch the space outside of the circle!” Show your child how to hop from circle to circle. Invite your […]
Recommended Age: 18m+ Level of Parent Involvement: Medium, mostly prep Materials • A collection of sticks or twigs Steps • Have your child collect 10-15 sticks from the yard or a nature walk. • Show how to lay two sticks parallel to each other. • Say, “This is how I build with sticks. Watch!” • […]
