Children love to play outdoors, and it’s probably because of the feeling of space and freedom.
It’s being able to explore.
It’s about being out in the big, wide world.
Children are born ready and able to learn, and one of the most important aspects of their learning is the environment they can access.
The outdoors offers such a stimulating learning environment, from interactions with nature, to having space to run and climb, to being a place to forge bonds with other children.
Playing outdoors is something every parent should be encouraging for so many reasons. It helps your child be healthy and active for a start.
However, there is so much more to learn from playing outdoors.
Why Should Kids Play Outside?
When you picture children playing outdoors, you tend to imagine them running, kicking a ball, or playing on a swing. This is great; these activities help to develop some very important physical skills.
But, actually, you can encourage the development of other vitally important skills through outdoor play very easily. You can support all aspects of your child’s development, not just the physical part, by encouraging outdoor play.
All you need to do is add a few simple toys to your backyard that encourage your child to play in a variety of ways. These toys need to encourage learning in all the prime areas of child development.
What Skills Does Your Child Need to Develop?
There are three prime areas of child development:
- Physical development
- Social development
- The development of communication skills
Your child’s physical development happens in two important ways.
First, there is gross motor development. It refers to the movements children can make with their whole body. As babies, it starts with rolling and crawling, through to walking. Later on, your child needs to develop gross motor skills such as jumping, hopping, climbing and balancing.
The second area of physical development is the acquiring of fine motor skills. These are the tiny movements your child needs to learn using his or her hands. Children start with being able to grasp objects as small babies, through to being able to control a pencil around the time they start school.
Your child’s emotional and social development is another prime area for learning. These are the skills he or she needs to form positive relationships, to have self-confidence, and to be able to manage his or her feelings and behaviors. These social skills are a vital building block for learning in all areas.
Finally, your child’s communication skills are hugely important. As well as being able to speak and communicate clearly, your child needs to also work on his or her listening and comprehension.
These prime areas of child development need to be nurtured in your child’s early years. From these three building blocks, more specific skills can grow, that is:
- Literacy and numeracy skills
- Understanding of the world
- Creativity
It’s very easy to turn your backyard into a really nurturing, inspiring environment to help your child grow and develop in these areas.
There are lots of great outdoor toys that give your child the opportunity to work on more than one, if not all of these skills.
Here are 10 of the best.
10 Incredible Outdoor Learning Toys
1. Fun and durable playset
Give as much space as your garden allows for a playset where your child can build up strength, and work on balance and climbing.
But a playset needn’t be just for physical play; if you search the web, you will find some really cool examples of a top quality playsets like these that encourage them to use their imagination for role play as well.
During imaginary play, children get to work on their problem solving, social and communication skills, too.
If there’s one piece of equipment that is worth investing in, it’s a quality play set.
A good piece will give kids years of play and should last longer than your child’s playing years.
For good value for money, look for a set that offers a combination of features. A swing, a climbing wall or ladder, a deck and a slide will offer hours of fun and learning, as well as allowing more than one child to play at a time.
2. Outdoor kitchen
Although you may think an outdoor kitchen set will be messy, it encourages really creative play.
What amazing concoctions can your child make from soil, sand, leaves or blossoms?
Sensory play like this is so valuable for young children. It encourages them to work on their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills as they move ingredients about.
They will also be developing creativity as they “design” their creations. Their verbal communication and social skills are nurtured as they play alongside others in shared games. You’re also promoting early science skills, and number skills as your child counts and measures ingredients.
3. Colorful outdoor chalk pack
Proving that outdoor toys needn’t be expensive, a pack of colorful outdoor chalks will encourage your child to get creative.
It will also involve work on fine motor skills and on early mark-making skills, which eventually lead to developing writing skills.
Children can make their designs bigger than any piece of paper would allow by drawing on walls, patios and paths.
All mess stays outside and can be easily washed off by the rain or with hose water.
4. Inviting sandpit
This is a childhood classic for good reason. A sandpit encourages creativity, collaboration with others, strengthens fine motor skills and so much more.
Children can indulge in some small world play, too, with the addition of a few vehicles and model people. This helps to strengthen their understanding of the real world, and social relations through role playing.
Look for a good solid wooden sandpit that will last for years and keep sand safely stored away when not in use.
5. Exciting cubby house
This is the ultimate for encouraging role play.
Children love playing grown-ups. A cubby house can be more than a house, too; it can be a castle, a shop, a vet’s office, or anything else they want it to be.
In games like this, they explore their understanding of the world.
They will also be improving their verbal communication and numeracy skills as they mimic the adult world.
6. Nature exploration kit
Assembling a kit that allows them to explore nature in the backyard is really simple. Look for child sizes in items such as binoculars, magnifying glasses, and simple apparatus for catching and examining mini-beasts. Add in some books that help kids identify their finds, too.
Children find exploring nature close at hand really thrilling. There are lots of opportunities here for discussion and widening your child’s vocabulary. Encouraging your child to look after nature nearby can be an important lesson in empathy and understanding, both important social skills.
You’ll be nurturing good and responsible citizens of the future, too.
7. Ball
There are few toys more basic than a ball, but a ball is always a winning choice.
A ball will encourage your child to get moving and to build up his or her strength and stamina.
At the same time, he or she be improving coordination skills with throwing, catching and kicking games. There’s also a lot to learn about turn-taking and teamwork during ball games, so your child will be working on his or her social skills, too.
Look for a ball that is large and lightweight, but not so big your young child can’t easily hold it.
Once your child has mastered basic ball skills, you could look for equipment to further hone his or her abilities, i.e. a soccer net or basketball hoop.
8. Ride-On Toys
Fun ride-on toys are great for strengthening little legs. There’s such a great range among them, too: a whole host of designs and materials are available. Pick something sturdy that will appeal to your child.
Once your child gets moving on his or her ride-on, he or she will engage in some really imaginative play. Often children become very absorbed in recreating real-life scenes and, if adults play along, playing with a ride-on toy can be a really great opportunity for extending children’s vocabulary.
9. Balance bike
A bike without pedals is a great stepping stone to a proper bike. Over time, your child will learn to propel the bike by freewheeling with the balancing skills he or she will need later for a pedal bike.
At the same time, he or she will learn to brake and steer. This means when he or she comes to learn to ride a regular bike, pedaling will be the only skill left to master.
A balance bike can develop independence and confidence among children, and can help the whole family get out and about together.
10. Jumping rope
Another one of the most basic toys, the skipping or jumping rope is a versatile toy that can be used alone or in a group, indoor and outdoor.
Studies in child development have found that jumping benefits and helps develop both hemispheres of the brain. This means supporting the development of all types of skills including memory and cognition. It sparks creativity and enhances balance and coordination aside from strengthening young muscles and improving bone density.
The social benefits of skipping rope are undeniable as well. Participating in group challenges helps kids overcome shyness, develops self-confidence and creativity, and encourages them to interact and cooperate with others.
The Right Clothing to Get Outdoors
Providing the right clothing to get outdoors whatever the weather means that your backyard remains a play space 365 days a year. Not needing to impose limits on when children can play outside means they are more active over the year. Often, they actively enjoy playing out in the rain (or snow — if it snows in your place): it’s a stimulating sensory experience and can be the basis of some great imaginary play.
Providing all or most of these 10 outdoor learning toys will mean your backyard is transformed into a play space that is not only incredibly fun, but also helps your child’s development in all the important areas.
Your child can certainly look forward to years of learning and exploring with these durable toys, many of which are timeless classics which will take them all the way through their playing years.
Author Bio
Michael Davies is the Senior Account Manager at Sandleford, a trusted supplier of letterboxes and home security products and solutions in Australia. The company’s Swing Slide Climb range has grown and grown over the past 4 years, and together with Bunnings Australia, it has become one of the most exciting and innovative suppliers and developers of children’s play equipment in the Australian market.
