Thinking outside of the box Thursdays: How does outdoor play change in the winter?
As we transition to the winter
and colder months, I’m curious how outdoor play has been changing (or not) at
your centre. What challenges do you face in the winter? What are some unique
opportunities that the winter offers for outdoor play?
I love the first snow fall in our yard; the snow is magical, white, and full of possibilities! The sleds and shovels come out and the children are full of curiosity and excitement. However, we live in southern Ontario, and snow does not always stay put. More often than not, it melts away causing flooding in spots of the yard (and risk of ice). The children are then left with no sandbox (it is either completely muddy or frozen) and no snow to explore in the cold. With big snow gear on, we find our children less able to move around and miserable with the cold (without the distraction of snow to play in). It feels like the snow-inspired winter, becomes sad and 'boring' quickly, and we continue to hope for more snow to fall!
ReplyDeleteMany Canadians come with a natural love for the outdoors in any season. Some, however need a little push to get outdoors in the cold weather. Educators have a bit of a challenge some days especially when the children comment that they "didn't have to go out for any recesses today".
ReplyDeleteSpray bottles with coloured water to paint in the snow is a crowd pleaser and gets most of my group excited to get outside in any weather. (snow, mud puddles)