Outdoor Play - Teaching & Learning Activities For Toddlers and Preschoolers

Do you find yourself searching the web for preschool outdoor activities to engage your preschoolers in some fun outdoor play and learning?  Outdoor play, as well as outdoor teaching and learning activities, are essential components for promoting a well-rounded, holistic cognitive and physical development of children. Setting up outdoor preschool classrooms provides opportunities for children to engage in a variety of outdoor activities that cater to their multi-faceted development, including physical development, motor skills, socio-emotional development, cognitive development, and language development.

In this article, we will explore some fun preschool outdoor activities that your center can and should include in your preschool curriculum to support the overall development of young learners.

Why are preschool outdoor play activities important?

Outdoor play activities are crucial for the development of toddlers. The outdoor environment provides numerous opportunities for physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth.

1. Physical Development – Physical activity helps with the development of gross motor skills and coordination.
2. Social Skills – Social interaction with peers promotes social skills, teamwork, and Emotion regulation Outdoor play allows toddlers to take risks, express themselves, and build self-esteem and confidence.
3. Cognitive Development – Outdoor activities play a critical role in the cognitive development of toddlers. These activities provide opportunities for hands-on exploration, discovery, and problem-solving, which are supremely important in a child’s development.
4. Emotional Growth – Outdoor play can be a stress-free and enjoyable way for toddlers to learn. Outdoor activities can also be a great place for toddlers to express themselves. This helps them maintain emotional equilibrium.

Thus, outdoor learning and teaching play activities are essential aspects of a toddler’s growth and development.

How does outdoor play impact physical & cognitive well-being?

Outdoor play has a profound impact on the physical and cognitive well-being of toddlers. Physically, outdoor play promotes gross motor skills development, increased endurance, and a healthy lifestyle. Outdoor learning provides ample opportunities for physical activity, such as running, jumping, and climbing, all of which contribute to the overall development of fine and gross motor skills.

Additionally, the sensory stimulation of the outdoors can impact cognitive well-being by promoting sensory awareness, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Exploration and discovery are a big part of outdoor play activities and lead to the development of cognitive skills such as observation, memory, and reasoning. Outdoor play can help lay the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle, which can have a lasting impact on the well-being of toddlers.

Also Read: Preschool activities for cognitive development

8 Outdoor play and learning activities

1. Garden ABC Hunt

A Garden ABC Hunt is an engaging and educational activity for toddlers. This activity involves searching for objects in a garden that correspond with each letter of the alphabet.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Create a list of items in your garden or park that correspond to each letter of the alphabet. For example, “A” could be for “apple tree,” “B” for “butterfly,” and so on.
2. Print the list and hand it to the toddlers during the hunt.
3. Divide the toddlers into small groups, with one adult accompanying each group.
4. Explain the rules of the game: the goal is to find and identify as many items on the list as possible.
5. Set a time limit for the hunt and let the toddlers explore the garden or park, looking for items on the list.
6. When the time is up, have each group count the number of items they found and share them with the other groups.
7. Acknowledge the toddlers’ participation and congratulate them for their achievements.

Open ended questions and conversations to hold around the activity

During/After the activity, ask the children the following questions :

1. What are some things that grow in a garden? – (plants, flowers, vegetables, fruits)
2. What are the different types of birds, insects, etc you saw during the activity?

The idea is to get the toddler to think and imagine things. This activity not only promotes physical activity and outdoor exploration but also helps to develop literacy skills, as the toddlers learn the names of different objects and animals in the garden or park. It’s a fun and educational way for toddlers to learn while having a blast.

What does the child learn?

The Garden ABC Hunt provides opportunities for literacy development, physical activity, cognitive growth, social-emotional skills, and sensory stimulation. It helps develop gross motor skills, vocabulary, observation, memory, teamwork, self-esteem, and sensory awareness. It’s a fun way for toddlers to learn and explore the outdoors.

Precautions

Make sure that there are no poisonous plants or insects in the play area. Also, ensure that the toddlers do not ingest anything that could be harmful or poisonous.

Also Read: Sensory activities for infants and toddlers

2. Name Writing Nature Hunt - toddler outdoor activity for developing literacy

The Name Writing Nature Hunt is an enjoyable and educational outdoor learning activity for toddlers that combines nature exploration with name recognition and writing practice. Children hunt for objects in nature that match the letters of their names and then practice writing the letters.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Give each toddler a sheet of paper with their first name written in large, clear letters.
2. Take the toddlers on a walk in a park or garden, and encourage them to find natural objects that resemble the letters in their names. For example, if a toddler’s name is ” Nicole,” they might find sticks or leaves that look like the letter “N,” “I,” “C,” etc.
3. Have the toddlers collect the objects they find and arrange them on their paper to form the letters of their names.
4. Take a picture of each toddler’s creation and display it in a prominent place, such as the classroom or playroom.

Open ended questions and conversations to hold around the activity

During/After the activity, ask the children the following questions :

1. What are the different types of rocks you found?
2. Can you find things that resemble any alphabet?

What does the child learn through this activity?

This outdoor learning activity promotes literacy skills by helping toddlers recognize the letters in their names and learn to write them. It also promotes physical activity and exploration, as toddlers search for natural objects in the park or garden. The Name Writing Nature Hunt is a fun and educational way for toddlers to learn while enjoying the outdoors.

Precautions

Never leave the toddlers alone as they could pick up sharp or harmful objects that could be harmful to them.

3. Listening Walk - Outdoor exploration activity to stimulate creativity

The Listening Walk encourages children to focus their senses on their surroundings. Children walk while listening to various sounds in nature and try to identify each sound. This activity helps improve listening skills, and observation skills and makes toddlers affectionate towards nature and the outdoors.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Take the toddlers on a walk in a park or garden, and encourage them to use their senses to explore the environment.
2. Emphasize the sense of hearing, and ask the toddlers to pay attention to the different sounds they hear along the way.
3. Do not hurry. Take pauses to listen together and discuss the different sounds they hear, such as birds chirping, leaves rustling in the wind, or water splashing in a stream.
4. Encourage the toddlers to describe what they hear and to use their imagination to think about what might be making the sounds.
5. As they walk, encourage the toddlers to keep their eyes closed and rely on their sense of hearing to guide them.

Open ended questions and conversations to hold around the activity

During/After the activity, ask the children the following questions :

1. Can you identify 5 different sounds?
2. What’s the most distant sound you can hear?

What does the child learn through this activity?

The Listening Walk promotes sensory awareness and listening skills, and encourages toddlers to use their imagination and creativity. It’s a fun way for toddlers to explore the outdoors and develop their sensory and auditory skills.

Also Read: 50 ways forest and outdoor learning experiences benefit child development

4.Sink And Float Tub - Outdoor play activity for cognitive development

The Sink and Float Tub is an educational activity for toddlers that helps them explore the principles of buoyancy and density. Children can place objects in a tub of water and observe whether they float or sink. This activity helps develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and an understanding of basic scientific concepts such as mass, volume, and density.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Fill a large tub or basin with water and add a variety of objects such as plastic toys, corks, sponges, leaves, and small rocks.
2. Encourage the toddlers to explore the objects and guess which ones they think will sink or float.
3. Have the toddlers take turns dropping each object into the water and observe whether it sinks or floats.
4. Converse with the toddlers about why they think the objects sank or floated and what properties of the objects may have influenced their behavior.
5. Ask the toddlers to touch and feel the objects and compare their texture, weight, and shape.

Open ended questions and conversations to hold around the activity

During/After the activity, ask the children the following questions

1. Can you guess which of these objects will float and which will sink?
2. Why did a particular object sink and why did the other float?

What does the child learn through this activity?

The Sink and Float Tub is in many ways one of the first science labs, helping toddlers learn about basic scientific concepts such as buoyancy and density. It’s also a fun way for toddlers to develop their sensory and problem-solving skills.

Precautions

Do not leave the toddlers alone with the bucket/tub of water as they can accidentally drown themselves.

5. Shadow Art - Preschool outdoor activity for cognitive development

Shadow Art is a creative educational activity for toddlers through which children can discover the concept of light and shadows, as well as unleash their imagination. This activity promotes creativity, develops hand-eye coordination, and increases understanding of basic science principles.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Find a sunny spot outdoors and place a white sheet or piece of paper on the ground.
2. Instruct the toddlers to collect objects such as leaves, sticks, flowers, or stones, and arrange them on the sheet of paper.
3. Observe the shadows of the objects on paper and talk with the toddlers about how the position of the sun affects the shape and size of the shadows.
4. Keep the activity interesting by moving the objects and creating different shapes and shadows.

Open ended questions and conversations to hold around the activity

During/After the activity, ask the children the following questions

1. What happens to your shadow when the sun moves?
2. Can you build a story based on the shadows we create?

Shadow Art allows toddlers to imagine and imagination boosts creativity. Shadow art is a fun way for toddlers to learn and play outside, and to create something unique and beautiful.

What does the child learn through this activity?

Shadow art stimulates imagination and creativity while developing fine motor skills. By creating shadow images with different objects, children can learn about light, shapes, and texture.

Precautions

Do not let the children look directly at the sun for too long. Also, ensure that they do not use any piece of glass or similar object to look at the sun. This could harm their eyes.

6. Mud Pies - Outdoor play activity for developing motor skills

Mud Pies is a fun and educational outdoor learning activity for toddlers to explore texture and creativity. Children can make mud pies using mud, water, and various natural materials, such as leaves and sticks. This activity helps develop fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination, and allows children to express their creativity while enjoying the outdoors.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Find a muddy area in a park or garden and bring along some containers, such as plastic cups, bowls, or small buckets.
2. Ask the toddlers to collect mud and other natural materials, such as leaves, stones, and sticks, and use them to make “pies.”
3. Let the toddlers mix and experiment with the mud and materials to create different textures and designs.
4. Talk with the toddlers about the properties and texture of the mud and materials they use, such as how they feel, smell, and look.

Open ended questions and conversations to hold around the activity

During/After the activity, ask the children the following questions

1. What other materials would you like to add to make it better and stronger?
2. How does the mud feel in your hands while squishing it?

Apart from encouraging imagination and creativity, mud pies also help develop sensory and problem-solving skills. This fun and messy activity is a great way for toddlers to learn and play outdoors.

What does the child learn through this activity?

Mud pies are great for young children to participate in hands-on learning and sensory discovery. Through this activity, they can improve their fine motor skills, and learn about various textures, shapes, and nature. This simple activity can both entertain and educate, fostering creativity and problem-solving abilities.

Precautions

Keep an eye on toddlers while they play in the mud. Prevent them from ingesting anything harmful or throwing mud in each other’s eyes.

7. Anatomy of a Flower

The anatomy of a flower is an easy activity to captivate toddlers’ attention. This simple activity will help develop observational skills, fine motor skills, and creativity. This will also introduce them to basic scientific concepts. Here’s how to set it up :

1. You will need fresh flowers, child-friendly scissors, magnifying glasses, white sheets of paper, and washable markers.
2. Set up a table or surface that is easy for the toddlers to reach, and on it, keep the flowers, scissors, magnifying glasses, sheets of paper, and markers.
3. Show the toddlers the different parts of a flower and explain what each part does, using simple terms. Encourage them to use the magnifying glasses to examine the flower more closely.
4. Let the toddlers cut and examine the different parts of the flower and ask them to describe what they see and feel. Then let them use the markers and sheets of paper to draw and color their observations.

The anatomy of a flower allows toddlers to understand and observe the different components of a flower – leaves, stems, petals, etc. It makes them curious and hungry to learn more.

Open ended questions and conversations to hold around the activity

During/After the activity, ask the children the following questions

1. Can you identify the different parts of a flower? – the stem, petals, bud, etc.,
2. What do you think the petals do?

What does the child learn through this activity?

This activity gives toddlers an overall understanding of basic scientific concepts. It fuels their observational skills, fine motor skills, and creativity. The training can also aid in the development of their language and communication skills as they articulate what they observe and experience.

Precautions

The flowers you choose should not be thorny or poisonous, both of which can harm the toddler.

8. Plant A Seed - Outdoor preschool activity for physical and socio-emotional development

Planting seeds is a fun way for toddlers to learn about plants. They can fill pots with soil and plant seeds, then watch as the plants grow. This helps them learn about how plants grow and how to take care of them. It also teaches them to be responsible for the environment.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Choose a sunny spot in a garden or park and bring along some seeds and small pots or containers.
2. Show the toddlers to fill one pot with soil and let them do the rest. Once done, plant the seeds.
3. Demonstrate how to water the seeds and care for the plants as they grow.
4. Discuss what plants need to grow, such as water, sunlight, and air.
5. Encourage the toddlers to observe the plants as they grow, and talk about any changes they see, such as new leaves or stems.

Planting a seed provides opportunities for hands-on exploration and learning, and helps toddlers to understand the basics of plant growth and the environment.

Open ended questions and conversations to hold around the activity

During/After the activity, ask the children the following questions

1. What does a seed need to grow into a flower?
2. Do you know plants feel hungry as well? (Simply explain the process of photosynthesis)

What does the child learn through this activity?

By participating in a ‘plant a seed’ activity, toddlers can understand the stages of plant growth, including seed germination, root development, and stem and leaf growth. This activity can improve their dexterity as they plant and care for the seeds.

Precautions

Keep an eye out for unwanted bugs in the soil. Ensure that toddlers do not ingest soil.

Importance of conversations during outdoor preschool activities for cognitive development

Having conversations with toddlers during the activities is necessary. This not only helps them understand better but also makes them comfortable and expressive. Conversations help in many ways :

1. Language Development: Outdoor activities provide an engaging environment for toddlers to practice and develop their language skills. Conversations help them expand their vocabulary and fine-tune their speaking and listening skills.
2. Understanding: Conversations help toddlers understand new concepts and ideas, and provide them with the opportunity to ask questions and clarify their doubts.
3. Problem-Solving: Conversations can help toddlers think critically and solve problems. Toddlers can develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by discussing different scenarios and solutions.
4. Social and Emotional Development: Conversations help build social and emotional intelligence by allowing toddlers to express their feelings and learn about others’ emotions.
5. Conversations are an important aspect of outdoor learning and teaching activities for toddlers, as they help facilitate their cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Plan and track learning activities for your childcare center with Illumine

Illumine childcare management software offers a comprehensive solution for preschools and daycare providers seeking to organize and facilitate outdoor activities. With Illumine, you can personalize and manage your curriculum based on your unique childcare philosophy.

Also Read: Creating your center’s Childcare Philosophy and Curriculum

Teachers can easily incorporate diverse learning activities into their classrooms, aligning them with learning objectives, lesson plans, and developmental milestones. The Assessment module enables effortless tracking of learning progress, and generating insightful reports to visualize the effectiveness of teaching methods and curriculum. Additionally, Illumine provides a platform for sharing children’s learning journey with parents, allowing you to prioritize what matters the most- providing exceptional child care.

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