Using Outdoor Play to Develop School-Readiness

Sunshine! Warm weather! It's time to get our children outside. What perfect days to this as we approach the end of the school year. Before you lead your class outside for the business of childhood- play, think about how you can turn that play into important school-readiness time. We share two fun and meaningful ideas.

Take a look at the photo below. How can this become an important tool? 

We love to give children a paintbrush and pan of water. Let them dip the brush into the water and "paint" large circles or straight lines on the sides of buildings, garage doors, etc. It's only water! These movements help develop the motor skills necessary for printing letters. Those who are already writing letters can practice those. But if children are making shaky letters, it is helpful to go back and have them practice the building blocks of letter printing - the line and circle. Getting away from paper and pencil makes it fun, too.

An interactive outside  math-readiness game involves the annual spring favorite - bubbles!

Make small playground groups. Have children take turns being the person to blow the bubbles. The other children in the group count and slap the bubbles. This action helps tracking and allows practice of cardinal numbers. Not to mention, the act of taking turns is always an important task to practice and celebrate. 

Standards Alignment:
NAEYC - 2.B.03, 2.C.03 & 04, 2.F.02.
Head Start - I. C. & D., II.C., & X.A.