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The Empowered Educator

Inspiring ideas, training and resources for early learning.

90 Frugal Fun Ideas for Outside Play

by The Empowered Educator 26 Comments


Regular readers will probably know that the toddler twosome love their outside play and so do i! It gets us out in the fresh air and allows so many opportunities to explore our lovely surroundings, the gardens, the vegies and most importantly use up lots of toddler energy!

It is also an integral part of coping with Ruby’s sensory processing disorder. She craves activities that work her gross motor skills and also use a lot of extra energy before she can focus successfully on quieter tasks. She eats, sleeps and plays better when she has had her outside time. It is also my strategy to do a lot of our painting and messy activities outside as she likes to be able to come and go to an activity (which isn’t always fun inside!).

When doing messy activities outside the girls are free to roam and engage in the activity as much or as little as they want as they play with other things in between….it allows Ruby the opportunity to regulate her own emotions and physical needs by wandering when she needs too but still being able to reap all the benefits of the painting or messy sensory activity which is also important to her therapy.

We are very fortunate to have lots of space here for the girls to explore although the landscaping will always be a work in progress i fear! Lots of outdoor space to start a vegie patch, keep chooks and let children explore was an important criteria when we were looking for this house. As a single Mum when Miss teen was young i was always renting and moving and although i always made the best of the yards we had…they weren’t ours and i craved being able to turn them into something special that would grow with us over the years!

With children in Australia (and i fear probably world wide) now spending less time outside each day and in response to a few emails i have received asking if i really take the toddler twosome outside each day to play i thought i would share some of my easiest ways to enjoy the great outdoors with a toddler.

You don’t need to spend money on expensive outdoor toys and climbing frames and you don’t need a huge outdoor space….there are so many frugal ways to enjoy outside time with kids…..you just need to ensure your environment is safe and your attention is with them…As well as my favourites from the past year i’ve also collected a huge list of frugal and easy ways to have fun with your kids outside from some of the most inspirational bloggers across the web…..i hope you find something you might like to try with your children out in the fresh air tomorrow!

How about some fun with……..

CRAFT & SENSORY PLAY OUTDOORS
 
From Mummy Musings and Mayhem…..
 
Feather Painting Fun
 
Spray Bottle Salt Tray Creations
 
Warm Cornflour Fingerpainting
 
 
Easy Cotton Bud Painting
 
Recycled Bottle Water Painting
 
Salty Sticky Paint Tray
 
 
Easy Lux Slime Recipe & Play
 
Spaghetti Paint & Print
 
 
Coloured Sticky Sand Play
 
 
‘Cooking’ with Cornflour paint & Colour
 
 
Potato Masher Printing
 
Pallet Block Painting
 
 
From around the Web…..
 
Textured Painting with Nature’s Paintbrushes – Learning 4 Kids
 
Flower Paint – Happy Whimsical Hearts
 
Mud Pictures – Curly Birds
 
Sensory Feet Fun – Glittering Muffins
 
Shaving Cream and Ice Paint – Growing a Jeweled Rose
 
Mud Kitchen Play – Paint on the Ceiling
 
Scented Sand Play – Momma’s Fun World
 
Fall Sensory Bin – The Pleasantest Thing
 
Creating a Giant Painting – Here Come the Girls
 
Sand Pie Party – Curly Birds
 
DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint – Glittering Muffins
 
Painting Rocks – PlayDrMom
 
Dinosaur Mud Cakes – Happy Whimsical Hearts
 
FUN WITH WATER
 
From Mummy Musings and Mayhem….
 
Real Life Play & Water Whisking
 
 
Car Washing Toddler Style
 
 
From around the web…..
 
Tree House Water Wall – Adventures at Home with Mum
 
Monster Puddle Stomping – Growing a Jeweled Rose
 
Alphabet Scoop for Spelling – Momma’s Fun World
 
Backyard Play with Rain Gutters & Drain pipe – Frugal Fun 4 Boys
 
Summer Ice Painting – Growing a Jeweled Rose
 
Summer Fun Hose Play – Creative Playhouse
 
Fun with Balloons and Water – Paint on the Ceiling
 
Recycled Water Fun – Momma’s Fun World
 
 
NATURE AND GARDENING WITH KIDS
 
From Mummy Musings and Mayhem…..
 
Twin Seed Planting
 
 
Pallet Fence Planter
 
 
Planting & Watering Cans
 
Bark Painting
 
 
Sticks, Beans and Playdough
 
 
From around the web….
 
Make a Magic Tree – Learn with Play at Home
 
Magical Fairy Garden – Growing a Jeweled Rose
 
Making a Bean Hut – Paint on the Ceiling
 
Planning a Kid Friendly Food Garden – Picklebums
 
The Magic of a Walk in the Garden – One Perfect Day
 
Making a Vegetable Garden with Kids – Triple T Mum
 
10 Things to do with Sticks – Picklebums
 
20 School Garden Activities – Nurturestore
 
Connecting with Nature (Trees) – My Little Bookcase
 
Playing with Sticks – Picklebums
 
Gardening with Kids – Octavia & Vicky
 
A Handpainted Family Tree – Adventures at Home with Mum
 
17 Fun Fall Activities – KC Edventures
 
How to Make a Play Garden – Paint on the Ceiling
 
Chestnut Streamer Toy – Red Ted Art
 
Composting Dinosaurs – The Good Long Road
 
A Garden Treasure Hunt with Painted Rocks – One Perfect Day
 
Summertime Sand Play – The Good Long Road
 
Fun Ideas with Leaves – My Little Bookcase
 
Creating a Kids Picking Garden – Curly Birds
 
Making a Leaf Crown – Red Ted Art
 
Flower Pressing – Curly Birds
 
Sorting items on a Nature Walk – famiglia & seoul
 
Creating a Collage of a Favourite Place – My Little Bookcase
 
Making a Nature Bracelet – Paint on the Ceiling
 
 
JUST PLAIN FRUGAL FUN & GAMES
 
From Mummy Musings and Mayhem……
 
Walking the Hose Balance Activity
 
DIY Outdoor Blackboard
 
 
Bushrock Plank Balance Fun
 
Pallet Timber Blocks – Balance & Jump
 
 
Chicken – A Toddler’s Best Friend
 
 
From around the web…..
 
A Simple Tent – Curly Birds
 
Make and Fly a Kite – Aspiring Mum
 
Making Plastic Bottle Sand Scoops – Picklebums
 
Family Outdoor Obstacle Course – Adventures at Home with Mum
 
Silly Races – Creative Family Fun
 
A Picnic with The very Hungry Caterpillar – My Little Bookcase
 
5 Games to play with a Broom – Mess for Less
 
45 Ways to Awaken a Child’s Senses Outdoors – famiglia & seoul
 
Outdoor Music Play Area – Play Dr Mom
 
Easy Outdoor Obstacle Course – Happy Whimsical Hearts
 
Fun with Sheets on the Line – Paint on the Ceiling
 
Daily Dose of Outdoor Play – Kitchen Counter Chronicles
 
A Simple Outdoor Alphabet Game – My Little Bookcase
 
A Counting Walk – Creative Family Fun
 
Get up and Move Dice Toddler Game – Growing a Jeweled Rose
 
Backyard Superhero – Missions & a Cape – The Pleasantest Thing
 
DIY Scoop-ball Game – Aspiring Mum
 
 
SCARECROWS
From around the web….
 
Make a Scarecrow with Kids –Paint on the Ceiling
 
Girly-Crows – Curly Birds
 
Hidden Happy Camper – Adventures at Home with Mum
 
Make a Toddler Sized Scarecrow – Triple T Mum
 
 
I hope you have found lots of  inspiration here today….now what are you waiting for?
 
Photo: Look who had morning tea outside with us this morning....
 
Get the kids outside and play!!!!
 
 
 
Warm Wishes….

Filed Under: Ideas for Frugal Fun, Ideas for Outdoor Play, Ideas for Sensory Fun, Ideas for Sustainability, Ideas for Toddlers

« Not perfect yet…but we are getting there!
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Comments

  1. Ness @ One Perfect Day says

    24/10/2012 at 1:25 pm

    Amazing list Jode. Pinning this to keep as a reference for Summer. Thank you for including our garden treasure hunt and walk in the garden.

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:38 am

      My absolute pleasure Ness x

      Reply
  2. Jaime JJ says

    24/10/2012 at 1:44 pm

    Great list. Jaime@FSPDT

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:39 am

      Thanks Jaime…hope it proves useful x

      Reply
  3. Amie (Triple T Mum) says

    24/10/2012 at 2:35 pm

    Wonderful list of great activities, thanks Jode! I’m pinning this. Thanks for including our veggie garden and toddler-sized scarecrow ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:39 am

      I love that scarecrow Amie…we so have to try to make our own!!!

      Reply
  4. JDaniel4's Mom says

    24/10/2012 at 4:42 pm

    I love this list. You did a great job putting it together. I shared this on Facebook.

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:39 am

      Thanks so much for sharing x

      Reply
  5. Amanda says

    24/10/2012 at 11:25 pm

    What a great list of activities and ideas you’ve put together Jode, thanks!! Now that the weather is warmer, we’ve been outdoors every day too. Grace is always happy to potter around in our backyard – she plays with our dog, waters the plants, digs in the sand pit, picks flowers, paint with water and so on. And now that Sophie is getting bigger, she loves nothing more than being outdoors too ๐Ÿ™‚

    Sorry I haven’t stopped by lately, have been super busy with first birthday party stuff but am going to try and catch up today… x

    Reply
  6. Hannah says

    25/10/2012 at 12:06 am

    What a fantastic list! Thanks for sharing some of our posts. There are so many other great ideas here too. I am so pinning this! Hannah @ Paint on the Ceiling.

    Reply
  7. Catherine Collins says

    25/10/2012 at 12:26 am

    Awesome post!! Thanks so much for sharing some of our post. Just pinned. (Momma’s Fun World)

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:40 am

      No problem Catherine…love your outdoor ideas x

      Reply
  8. katepickle says

    25/10/2012 at 2:45 am

    wow that is some list… pinning this so I can refer back to it now the weather has improved!

    Reply
  9. Growing Book by Book says

    26/10/2012 at 7:49 pm

    What a great list. I like the pallet planters. I too think that outside time is so important. We try and get out everyday. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:41 am

      Thanks for stopping by and leaving a lovely comment!

      Reply
  10. Happy Whimsical Hearts says

    26/10/2012 at 9:12 pm

    Great list Jode, and thanks for including a couple of our activities ๐Ÿ™‚ I’ve pinned!

    Reply
  11. Louanne says

    27/10/2012 at 4:18 am

    This is AWESOME! Thank you so much for the effort to do this.

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:41 am

      Hope you find it helpful louanne!

      Reply
  12. Erica Price says

    17/11/2012 at 8:48 am

    Lots of lovely messy activities. It’s great to get outdoors to play isn’t it?

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:41 am

      It certainly is Erica…and we love our mess…thanks so much for dropping by x

      Reply
  13. Coombe Mill says

    17/11/2012 at 9:10 am

    Oh my goodness, this is like a year’s worth of Country Kids ideas in one post! I love all the activities and links around the web. An amazing post! I think we have the same attitude to outdoors and children: Outdoor fun doesn’t have to be expensive and children are so much better at settling to anything quiet after some good run a round time and fresh air. I am sharing this widely, thank you for linking up to Country Kids.

    Reply
  14. Nichola says

    17/11/2012 at 8:57 pm

    You have some fantastic ideas and I absolutely love your pallet planter fence, I made pallet veggie beds with them flat on the groundthis year and they were a huge success, but I love the fence idea. I also love your huge blackboard. Outdoor play is just the best, unfortunately most of our has to be done in several layers of clothes even in summer, but it’s still worth it. We would live outside if we could!

    Reply
    • Jode says

      20/11/2012 at 10:43 am

      My twins would second the living out there too Nichola! Love your veggie pallet garden idea!That blackboard has been one of the best things we put up outside and it cost next to nothing except a little effort on our part!

      Reply
  15. pinkoddy says

    17/11/2012 at 11:12 pm

    OMG WOW what a list!
    Thank you for sharing all these wonderful ideas.
    Love outdoor play and love how we can be more messy without worrying about the mess.

    Reply
  16. Aly says

    18/11/2012 at 7:12 am

    What a fab mum you are! This an amazing list of activities.Popping over from Country Kids.

    Reply
  17. Jode says

    20/11/2012 at 10:44 am

    Thanks so much for dropping over…hope you find some fun in the activities x

    Reply

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Jodie
Hi, I'm Jode, Mum to 3 girls in Australia, and an early childhood educator, presenter and consultant.
I share ideas, inspiration & resources for play based, inquiry led learning
Find out more about me here...

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