When it is nice out, I just love to be outside. On non-school days, that means taking my 4 kiddos with me so I can inhale the fresh air and receive some, much needed, Vitamin D. Most of the time, my kids love to play outside. But at some point they usually get hot, sweaty, and tired. Times like that call for a break.
However, since we live somewhere that sees at least 5 months of gloomy, cold weather every year, I like them to be outside as much as possible when it is nice. So, how do I keep them out when they are tired and sweaty? I switch up the activity!
When we first go outside it is typically for free play. They’ll play in the treehouse, ride the little bikes around (usually pretending to be the grannies from Bluey or Storm Troopers, haha!), and hit a ball back and forth. As long as it isn’t too hot, they could free play for hours! But when they do start to get tired, I grab a snack, make a smoothie, and pull out a more quiet and calming activity.
This weekend that activity was painting! We typically paint indoors (see weather note above) so the boys were surprised to see me taking it outside. But, boy, did they have a blast! Let’s check it out:
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Materials
- Watercolors
- Paint Brushes
- Large Paper
- Paint Sticks (for the littles or to add variety)
- Water Cups
How To
This is another easy one to set up once you gather the supplies.
- Grab your paint, brushes, water cups, and paper and bring them outside
- Choose a spot that is shady and less windy to avoid the paper flying away
- Tell your kiddos to imagine and create!
- Soak up some Vitamin D and maybe listen to a Podcast while you are at it!
This is such a fun activity because it is super easy to set up, and each kiddo can play their own way! My 9- and 7-year-olds stuck to watercolors while my 6- and 3-year-olds leaned towards the paint sticks.
I got each of my kiddos one of these watercolor paint sets last Easter, because you know how there is always one kid who likes to mix paint…? Yeah, 4 separate sets allowed us to avoid arguing and have a peaceful painting session where they were all in the zone!
If you are home for the summer, be sure to pencil this activity in! While you are at it, do yourself a favor and grab a few of these to occupy the kiddos! You’ll thank me later, wink wink.
Enjoy!
The season of having our children at home with us is too short. Enjoy every moment by breaking up the play and avoiding arguments by inserting calming activities into your routine.
Thank you so much for reading, sweet friend! You can find us on Pinterest and see what we are up to on Instagram. I hope that you treasure these outdoor moments with your littles, they go by way too fast!
Looking for some more outdoor fun? Check out this fun one!
