20 Ways to Take Learning Outdoors

Students have been out and about all summer long and are likely not ready to get back to school and sit all day. Review, Teach, and Reinforce new skills that will harness that energy!

~ YES ~  

Summer Break is over.

~ YES ~  

They can still have fun AND learn!

Take a trip to the Dollar Store, 

you know you are going to make a trip or three there anyway!

Spending just a few dollars can lead to splendid learning adventures.

Shopping List:

                      balloons     water squirters     play-doh     beach ball     index cards                               

mini balls (football, baseball, soccer)       chalk (sidewalk chalk is best) 

Let the Learning and Fun begin! 

BALLOONS

Basics:

Blow up

Write letters, words, book titles, jokes, etc. on each. 

Play catch, volley back and forth, fill with water and play catch, etc.

When a balloon breaks, is dropped, etc. that person has to name the letter, read the word, give a book title, etc.

Phonics/Sight Word Games

Fill balloons with water

Write word endings, sight words, etc. on each balloon

Write one consonant on index cards and tape to surface (wall, fence, slide, etc.)

Choose a balloon (with an ending) and take it to a consonant card, if a word can be made (R  at, C  ar , P  in), the child may break the balloon by throwing it at the letter card.

OPTIONS:

Substitute with letters of the alphabet, match upper and lower case letters (upper case letters on cards, lower case on balloons).

Use letters - say name and sound of the letter.

Use sight words - read the word.

  

CHALK  

Hopscotch:

- Draw hopscotch template

- Fill each sections with a letter, sight word, phrase, etc.

- Play hopscotch: toss a marker (stone), hop to where it lands, read/do what the section states.

Search:

- Randomly write letters (upper case and/or lower case,) or sight words on the ground.

- Call out a letter or word and the child finds and stands on it.

Twister:

- Create a grid, putting a letter, sight word, term, etc. in each square

- Call out given term. Child stands on it. Repeat with other children. All stay put.

- Repeat above step. Child must keep a foot or hand on the first spot and use another    

  hand or foot to touch the  second directive.

- Repeat.

Trace:

- Randomly write letters (upper case and/or lower case) sight words, terms, etc.

- Call out term. Child traces each.

Tracing Options

- Water squirter, chalk, walk, drive a small toy vehicle, etc.

BEACH BALL 

Catch 'n Read:

- Write letters (upper case and/or lower case,) sight words, etc. on the ball.

- Play catch. Child is to read what is under (or near) their right (or left) hand.

Variations:

- Say or spell a word that starts with that letter.

- Use the word in a sentence.

- Write the word in chalk, with a water squirter, in the air,...

  MINI BALLS 

Toss 'n Read:

- Write letters (upper case and/or lower case,) sight words, etc. on index cards.

- Toss a ball, read the letter/word/term hit or is closest to

Variations:

- Toss into holes cut in a box.

- Toss into hula hoops.

Play Doh 

Mold 'n Read:
- Write letters (upper case and/or lower case,) sight words,    etc. index cards.
- Child molds the play doh over the term.

ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES CAN EASILY BE CONVERTED TO MATH ACTIVITIES