Showing posts with label outside. Show all posts
Showing posts with label outside. Show all posts

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Fun Outdoor Play

As summer hits its peak, many parts of the country are experiencing very warm spurts of weather.To cool off here are some fun outdoor games for the kids and anyone else who would like to join in the fun!

Water Balloon Volley

This is a great on a hot summer day!

Each team will need a bedsheet and good supply of filled water balloons. Everyone on the team holds a corner or side of the sheet. Place a water balloon on the sheet. Using lots of teamwork, bounce the balloon on the sheet until you can flip it over the net. The other team must catch it in their sheet and flip it back.

For smaller groups or children, use a smaller sheet or a tablecloth. You can also use a ping-pong ball.

Balloon Head Race

Organize players into pairs and give each team a partially inflated balloon. When the game starts, teams must race to a finish line carrying a balloon between their heads. Don't use your hands! On hot summer days try using water balloons or running the race through a sprinkler. 

Water Balloon Fight

Just a good old fashioned wet and wild game of tag with water balloons! A great way to get cool! Set ground rules such as no hitting in the face or head.

After the water fight is over, or every hour or so, have a race to see who can pick up the most broken water balloons until they are all picked up. Use a plastic milk carton to collect them in, the spout is small enough to collect them and little hands can't reach in and take them out.

Safety Tip: Don't let children put broken balloons into their mouths. Remember, these little broken balloons are a choking hazard, not only to small children, but to anyone. If a balloon breaks in front of a child's mouth they can suck in the balloon when they gasp with surprise,and it can choke them.


Egg & Spoon Race

This is definitely an outdoor activity! You will need one raw egg and one spoon for each person participating in the race. Line contestants up next to each other on a starting line. Racers should have a point across the yard to race to (point B), turn around and come back to where they started (point A).

Place the egg in the spoon. The racer must balance the egg in the spoon, without using their free hand, and make it from point A to point B and back to point A again. If the egg drops, but is not broken, the racer may pick up the egg, while STANDING STILL (no travelling!), reposition it on the spoon and resume the race. The first person back to point A without a broken egg wins!


Water Bucket Relay

This race works best with Rubbermaid containers, the size that you can fit snugly into your kitchen sink. Mark the inside of the container with a marker and fill with water to that marked spot. Just as in the Egg & Spoon Race contestants should have a point across the yard to race to (point B), turn around and come back to where they started (point A). Howeverm in this race, each contestant runs solo. Time each person separately, taking turns.

In this race however, the first person back may not be the winner! Using a stopwatch, or a watch with a second hand, time each contestant and record thier water measurement when they have completed their "lap". The person with the best time combined with the most water left in their tub wins! 
 

About the Author:
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is the Chief Editor of FamilyCorner.com Magazine. Visit her blog by clicking here.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Fall Fun for Kids

Looking to make some sweet fall memories with your little ones? Here are some great ideas to get your family laughing, smiling and enjoying each other's company during these crisp autumn days.

Hit the trail. Kids love to be outside. The out-of-doors is a huge playground and children are naturally attracted to it. Exploring some of the hiking trails in and around your community is a great way to spend time together.

While you're walking...

Collect leaves. Take them home and arrange them on a piece of poster board measuring approximately 17 inches by 12 inches. Smooth a piece of clear contact paper over the poster board on both sides, laminating the board and leaves. Now you have a special placemat to use for the remainder of the season.

Contact your local library to ask where you can find a guidebook on local flora and fauna. Take it on your hike and try to identify as many different trees, plants, and critters as possible.

To see the rest of this article, visit Fall Fun for Kids on FamilyCorner.com

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Fun at the Beach Survival Kit

If you live near a beach, whether it be the ocean or a lake, it's a great way to enjoy time with your kids and keep away the boredom bug. If you don't live near the water, but are planning a vacation to the beach, here's a list of items that are a must have!

Sunscreen
This is probably the most important item in your beach bag. Make sure that you have sufficient sunscreen protection for yourself and your children. The sun's ultraviolet rays are at their strongest during the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., so limit your time in the sun during those hours. Choose a sunscreen lotion that is at the very least 15 SPF, more appropriate for children is an SPF of 30 or more. Be sure to adequately apply the sunscreen to all exposed skin, including ears, nose, and neck. Speak to your doctor about sunscreen and babies under 6 months of age. Don't forget your lips! Bring along sun protective lip balm with an SPF of 15 or more. An Aloe based after sun lotion is a great way to soothe your skin after a day in the sun, apply after your day at the beach.

Protective Barriers
Sunglasses that block ultraviolet rays, sun hats with brims, and beach umbrellas are all wonderful items to have along for added protection. Babies under 6 months old should wear protective clothing, a brimmed sun hat, and if possible, baby sunglasses that protect from harmful UV rays. Babies should not spend a lot of time in the sun, but when they are, keep them protected! A frist aid kit with band aids, an antibiotic cream, and other essentials is an excellent idea as well.

Chairs & Blanket
There are chairs made specifically for the beach, they sit low to the ground and fold up neatly, often they include a handy shoulder strap. Don't count on the beach having chairs for its guests! A blanket is another nice thing to bring along. Not only is it comfortable to sit on, but it's a welcome comfort from the hot sand on bare feet.

Read the rest of this article and get our checklist for your Fun at the Beach Survival Kit!

More You Might Like:
Summer Photo Tips: Photography on the Beach
Make a Summer Beach Plaque
Coloring Pages : Fun Time : Beach
Summer Safety and Sanity for Families on the Go
More Leisure Time

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Bird Watching Tips

Bird watching is a fun, inexpensive activity for families. You can reserve a special space for bird feeders anywhere in your yard, and throughout the year watch the variety of birds that come to visit. Here some tips for feeding the birds:

*Buy inexpensive feeders; many are under $5.00, and the birds just love them. You can also make tray feeders out of scrap wood and place them on the ground. Get creative! Try this simple craft for making feeders out of one liter soda bottles.

Try different things and see how the birds respond. Many will eat sunflower seeds placed in a hollowed out grapefruit placed on a nail head on your deck. This is a great "experiment" for the kids. They can record their findings in a notebook, and keep track of which birds show up during the different seasons.

To see the rest of these great tips, visit Bird Watching Tips on FamilyCorner.com

Monday, May 11, 2009

Backyard Discovery Zone

Many zoos and nature centers have "discovery zones" for kids to learn about different animal skins and other items in nature. You can do the same thing in your backyard. All you need is a bandana to use as a blindfold, paper and pencil, a table and nature from your backyard.

Setting up:
Using your picnic table or other flat surface, place items from your backyard in a row. Prepare this step where the kids can't watch. These are the types of items you can use:
Leaves
Flowers; especially ones that have interesting texture such as globe thistle.
Seed pods like milk weed (open it up to the silky part), acorns, pine cones, and flower seeds too.
very tiny stones
grass

Basically, you want to look around your yard for any type of natural item that the kids can feel and try to identify. Set up each item in a "station" with a number in front of it. This becomes your Backyard Discovery Zone.

Using Your Discovery Zone
For ideas on how to use your discovery zone visit Backyard Discovery Zone on FamilyCorner.com


More You Might Like:
Garden Bug Rocks
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Visit a National Wildlife Refuge
Backyard Camp
Fun Outdoor Play