outdoors Archives - Starcatchers

ALL PAINTING, ALL DANCING

Play music with a clear, strong beat and use your whole arm to make BIG sweeping lines in time to the music. A big roll of paper or a large cardboard box would be great for this, but you can also use chalk or a wet paintbrush on slabs.

SAME, BUT DIFFERENT

Wee ones often love handing objects to adults – it’s a great way of communicating what they’re interested in. Name the object and try to match it to something the same colour, shape or texture. “That’s blue teddy – what else is blue?”

FINDING FACES

With a little imagination a mark on a tree can turn into an eye, nose or mouth! Next time you
see a ‘face’ when out and about, show your wee one – you’ll soon be chatting about the happy
tree, the shocked house or the grumpy drain.

CHALK PUDDLES

Did you know chalk makes stronger, brighter marks when wet? Outline a puddle with chalk and see how your wee one chooses to play. Choose a puddle near home so its a quick walk
back if you end up soggy or a bit muddy.

SCARF KITES

This is a great idea for a windy day – take a scarf outside and fly it like a kite! Or if there isn’t much wind, you can run around with your scarf in the
air and see the different shapes and you can make as you swish and swirl around.

STREET BEATS

Splashing in puddles, sticks and stones, swishing bunches of leaves or feathers or grass – there are loads of ways to explore rhythm outside! Start
with a stick, explore the different noises it makes on different surfaces and go from there.

SILLY WALKS

Start by pretending one part of your body – a foot, a hand, a shoulder – has a life of its own and is “dragging” you along. ‘Heeeeeeeeeelp! My foot is out of control!’

YOU’VE BEEN FRAMED

Create a piece of art by laying out natural materials (leaves, sticks, stones etc) in a frame on the ground. The frame can be made of sticks, tape, anything that that helps focus the eye.

BIG STICK PAINTING

You need a paintbrush and a big stick – bamboo garden cane is ideal, but anything long, like a mop or brush handle. Tape or use elastic bands to attach the brush to the stick.