Ideas
Physical Play
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A different spin on a confidence course
At ground level set up a confidence course in your back yard with equipment you have around the home such as outside chairs, buckets, pieces of timber, cardboard boxes and any other equipment that is safe. Children have to follow the course walking on or over the objects.
To increase the challenge get the children to carry a plastic cup of water, a cone just balancing on a plastic container or something similar. If the object is dropped or the water spilt the child must return to the beginning of the course.
Te Whāriki curriculum links -
Exploration, goal 2: Children experience and environment where they gain confidence and control of their own bodies and increasing agility, coordination and balance.
Communication, goal 4. - Children experience and environment where they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive and develop familiarity and confidence using the tools used in creative art.
Exploration, goal 1. - Children experience an environment where their play is valued as meaningful and they develop increasing confidence in exploring pretend play.
Backyard tunnels
If you have access to large cardboard cartons you can make a simple maze or playhouse. For the maze start with cutting open different sides of the boxes and joining them together to make tunnels.
The larger boxes make great play houses as well. You can cut holes for windows or doors and the children can paint and decorate their constructions. Lots of fun and creativity.
Whether making a maze or a playhouse to extend the learning talk about the construction and what size boxes you will need to collect. Make a list of your boxes and count the number of small, medium sized and large boxes you have. If you have any small boxes talk about how you can use them – as a chimney for a house or as a marker at the beginning, half way or end of the maze.
Support your child to draw the outline of their construction, and make a list of the tools and equipment you will need to join it together like glue or sellotape, and a craft knife for the parent or caregiver to use.