In our overly artificial worlds, there is little contact that our children have with the outdoors, for many reasons including safety concerns that parents may have for their children. Outdoor activities for toddlers are very important for their health and development.
Not only do outdoor activities for toddlers let them explore and satisfy their curiosity, it also lets them get fresh air and become familiar with nature and natural activities teaching them new things and improving motor skills and physical coordination.
Outdoor play is a great way for children to get physical exercise, which is hugely important. Also this will get little children in the habit of creating their own play rather than constantly relying on gadgets such as TV, video games and so on.
There are a lot of outdoor activities for toddlers that parents can set up right at home, which toddlers can enjoy with some adult supervision –
A portable pool – This is a fun summer activity that will mean hours of happy play for your toddler. It can be set up on the patio, yard or even the balcony of an apartment.
There are various different types of pools, the inflatable variety, the ones with small built in slides, the ones with the stiff sides that hold the water in place and so on.
This is an activity that has to be constantly supervised because small babies can drown very quickly and in very little water.
Hide and seek, tag, throw a ball – These simple games are easy and enjoyable outdoor activities for toddlers.
It can be parent who can play this with their toddler, or the parent can arrange a play date to call a couple of other kids over – neighbors, friends from play school, or just kids of friends.
Though lots of toddlers may not get the concept of a game such as hide and seek too clearly, just the idea of a peek-a-boo like situation is hilariously enjoyable for a child that age. Tossing a ball is something that no child seems to get tired of and cashing one another round and round is something that most kids seem to find hugely entertaining.
Gardening – We may not think of this as an outdoor activity for toddlers, but a small child is very happy to potter about the garden with an adult, helping fetch and carry, absorbing a whole lot of what the adult shows and tells them.
This also gives the child the opportunity to do some happy digging in the dirt (is there a child in the world who doesn’t enjoy this?) and teaches them some valuable lessons about growth, natural produce, the way that insects work and so on.
Outdoor activities for toddlers outside the home – Organize a picnic in the park – it is a simple way to let your child enjoy the outdoors and can be quite an event for the child. You can also try taking the child to the zoo or an age appropriate museum (natural history is better for Modern art for instance) for a day out that is fun and full of learning as well.
One thing to keep in mind would be that a zoo or museum can mean a considerable walk, so if a child is not old enough, consider taking a along a buggy.