Outdoor Nature Play Ideas 

Fall is a great time to take advantage of all of the natural materials nature gifts you right at your feet. Let's take advantage of these natural treasures and celebrate this season with some fun nature play. 

1. Smash station

You need cloth, berries, flowers, leaves and a mallet⁣⁣⁣. Let your child have fun squishing, smashing and smearing the materials. Examine the colours left on the cloth afterwards.

2. Mixed medium play

Allow your child to have a mixed medium experience by combining foliage with play dough or plasticine. Watch and see what they create. 

3. River Play

Bring waterproof toys on a walk to a river and let your child to play. Let them build houses, give their toys baths, see where their imagination takes them!  

4. Nature identification

Print out pictures of foliage, bugs, birds, etc. focus on thing that are currently in season. Laminate the pictures and take them outside with a magnifying glass and let them examine the pictures. ⁣

5. Nature weaving

Create a loom with sticks and string and weave foliage through the string in an under/over motion. ⁣⁣⁣

6. Mud kitchen 

Collect foliage and using pots, pans, buckets and kitchen utensils add mud and water and allow for free play.

Setting up this type of natural free play experience creates a child-centred inspirational learning process. It allows for play, exploration and supported risk taking. As a child learns how to explore their natural environment and get messy, they will begin to develop confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences.

Bundle up and get out there and enjoy the season!