The temperature outside is turning warmer, and with April’s showers, spring weather provides the perfect excuse to go outside and play even when it’s raining. It’s fun to jump over muddy puddles or to make mud pie right after rain. The time is now to start springing into action!
Outdoor play is essential for children of all ages as well as adults. It is important for all ages, not just adults. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health published an official position paper about active outdoor play.
The statement declares, “Access to playing in the natural environment and in the outdoors, despite its dangers, is essential for the healthy development of children. We encourage children to have more opportunities to engage in self-directed outdoor play at home, in school, at child care facilities, in the environment, and in the community”. We have learned that children are less sedentary, improve their mobility, work more closely with their peers, and have more fun when playing outdoors. Encouragement to children to go outdoors and play during the drizzle, and even after rain, gives many opportunities for imagination and exploration.
There are 5 water-based fun activities that you can take part in during the April rains. Don your raincoat and boots, and get in to have fun:
Table of Contents
1. Leaping into puddlesLeap through and around puddles of various sizes.
This aids in coordination, balance, as well as gross motor growth. Play a game and incorporate a maths lesson by calculating how many jumps, or taking how long each leap is.
2. Producing Mud
In the dirt, playing is always enjoyable. It is also possible to include science lessons into the fun. What amount of water is required for making mud? Take some plastic bowls with sand and water or dirt. Examine each of the bowls of dirt by mixing it with water and making mud. What amount of water was required to create the densest mud? What proportion of water resulted in the most fun mud for children to use? Kids will be taught to test and experiment with their ideas, as well as practice making predictions and estimating.
3. What’s happening?
Utilize a deep puddle or a bowl that has water inside it. Collect items from the outside, like pinecones and leaves, as well as rocks. Try each one out and create an easy chart of what is floatable and what isn’t. The chart can be created of all the items or images you capture and print. This helps develop basic science skills such as observations, collecting and analyzing data, and analysis.
4. Rain Gauge
Create a simple rain gauge within your backyard as well as on the patio. You’ll require an elongated ruler and a glass jar, some pebbles or stones and a waterproof marker, and water. With your ruler, marker, and the jar, mark the container one centimeter from its bottom.
Two inches away, etc., writing up to 4 inches. Set the jar on the outside, with some stones or pebbles at the bottom. Fill the jar to the point that it is just below those stones by filling it with water. Make sure that the jar is placed on a level surface in a clear space. When it rains, determine the amount of rainwater. Make a simple chart for April. What was the amount of rain? This easy and enjoyable activity helps children understand measurement and also how to capture and track the data.
5. Watercolors Outside
Make yourself a sidewalk artist! You’ll need chalk as well as water (check the gauge for rain), as well as large, strong paintbrushes. Draw designs using chalk and paint them on your sidewalk, and afterwards, dip your paintbrush into the water. Paint lightly on the chalk using the water, making a watercolor-like effect. Through this activity, kids play with their imagination while learning to play.