Taking the making outdoors

It’s warmed right up, in fact it’s hot, hot, HOT - yep, summer is in full swing. Parts of the country are doing things really tough, and our thoughts are with those in fire-affected regions.

Here the days are long, the skies are bright and it’s way too summery to be stuck indoors. Luckily there are lots of ‘indoor’ activities that are easy to bring out into the backyard. Looking for ways keep creative kids busy and happy? Think it through, but keep it simple - you don’t always need a table, or lots of gear. Sometimes the simplest and easiest resources prompt the most creative summer play. Just remember to be sun smart, dish out the hats and sunscreen, and always take extra special care when water is involved.

Painting with water

Anything involving water is cooling and fun when the heat is on. An easy and delightful activity to offer your busy little ones requires only water and a big paintbrush. Use a stable pot that won’t be easily knocked over (a yoghurt bucket is perfect), pop in a paintbrush or two (wide ones from your shed are ideal) and offer your little Picasso a big space to water ‘paint’ - it could be the decking, a wall or even the fence. Kids enjoy making big sweeping gestures and painting on a grand scale, and the impact of darkening a surface with water is very satisfying. The beauty of this activity is that there’s no lasting mess or cleanup – the sun will do that for you.

Petals perfume

I remember fondly picking rose petals as a child then squishing and squashing them in water filled jars for a few days, until they steeped into a brownish floral-scented “perfume”. If you have some safe flower varieties growing in your garden (such as roses and geraniums) and are happy to sacrifice a few blooms this is a fun and sensory activity. Just add water!

Water-play

Sometimes it’s the simple things! A bucket or tub, a sturdy jug, some plastic cups, some water… voila, instant and refreshing fun. Add some iceblocks if it’s a real scorcher. Pouring, measuring and splashing water between the vessels introduces a whole host of learning concepts for children to explore, and is super refreshing on a sweltering day. Find a safe and shady spot near some thirsty plants and let them splash away.

Sand-play

Sand is fabulous and sandpits come in all shapes and sizes, built-in or contained within plastic clam shells. If your own backyard can’t accommodate the whole ‘kit & kaboodle’ don’t despair. If sand is something you’d like to have ‘on hand’ then look for other practical ways to offer it to your child. Do you have a laundry tub or an old baby’s bath? A big bucket? Kids can have lots of fun with a small amount of sand and just a few simple accessories such as old kitchen utensils.

Chalk drawings

These days it seems most $2 shops sell pots of sturdy and colourful chalks for kids, but any stick of chalk is fine for a bit of outdoor summer doodling. Offer the kids a flat area of concrete, a section of brick wall, or even a paling fence as their canvas and then let them go for it. If you do have a flat area it’s fun to get them to lie down while you trace the outline of their body (often they’ll be astonished at how big their outline seems) and get them to fill in the details (you may also be amused at where these go!). Chalk allows them to create images on a big scale, inspiring all sorts of meandering lines, storytelling and play - and best of all it’s a gallery that washes away with water. Bring on the water and paintbrushes!

Play-dough

Play-dough is such lovely tactile stuff, super easy to whip up at home (see recipe below), and great for little fingers and big imaginations. But play-dough doesn’t have to stay inside either… try letting your children take a batch of play-dough outside where it can be combined with sticks and flowers, pebbles and petals. The great outdoors, and the addition of sun, water and dirt may shorten the life of the play-dough, but it does open up a whole host of different opportunities for creative play.

Home-made play-dough

• 1 cup of plain flour

• 1 cup of water

• ½ cup of salt

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

• a few drops of food colouring

Mix together all ingredients and cook over a medium heat in a very well-greased saucepan. Keep turning in the centre. The mixture is cooked when it forms one springy mass. Remove from the saucepan and, when cool enough, knead the mixture until the right texture is achieved. It will keep for several months in an airtight container in the fridge.