Going To The Park to Play and Learn...

Summer is here and I am sure you will find yourself at the park with your kids. You may even feel like throwing some learning in while the kids are playing. I have a few ideas that you may wish to try on one of those days when you find yourself at the park...

Bring a box of chalk!

Here is where I blogged about Sidewalk Chalk and all the learning that can go with a box of chalk...

I am sure you will be pushing kids on the swings! Here are a few ideas to help with taking turns on the swing as well as throwing in some learning fun!

Counting: one person's turn ends after the swinger counts backwards, 5-1, counts in Spanish or Dora counting as my daughter call it , counts by 5’s, counts by 10’s.

Spelling: Sometimes turns are over after a swinging kiddo spells first and last names (we help each other out and yell out a letter with each push), sometimes we spell our family's names, our friends' names, or our dog name.

Rhyming: The waiting person calls out a word and the swinging kid calls out a rhyming word with each push, or we all take turns yelling a rhyming word with each push.

Grouping: The waiting person calls out any word (colors, sports, cars, tv shows) and the swinging person yells out words that go with that topic with each push.

Phone Number: My son learned his phone number on the swing. I would only push him after each number he said.

After you are done on the swing, slide down the slide. How fast can you slide. Have your child count how long it takes them to get from the top of the slide to the bottom.

Now, grab a ball and try out some of these ideas for leaning fun.

Wow, you must be tired... you played with chalk, swung on the swings, slid down the slide, and played ball. Take a break and have a seat... How many slides are at this park? How many swings? How many slides and swings altogether? You could even try this printable activity. http://www.scavengerhuntsforkids.com/playgroundcount.doc

Let's play some more. Check out all the outdoor scavenger hunts found here...

http://www.scavengerhuntsforkids.com/neighborhoodhunts.html

Take Your Infant too... Here are ideas!

Some ideas of games to play at the park.

I spend lots of time in the summer at the park with the kids... I better run, I am off to the park!

Some Great Summer Reads: