Ideas for wintery outdoor activities

[SuePurblybiltByElves]

I'm preparing a handout and have used all my old favourites and some suggested by colleagues. This is a handout to give ideas to early years practitioners so really suitable for ages 3-8. Ish.

Has anyone made any particularly lovely Christmas decorations out of twigs ? Or had a cold enough day to manage ice mobiles? Any much-loved outdoor games that you've made up?

I'd like to give them lots of new ideas so anything appreciated

making basc fairy houses from twigs, bark pine cones, pebbles etc which have been collected by the children if possible.

[http://www.google.co.uk/images?q=fairy+house&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4ACAW_enGB356GB357&tbs=isch:1&ei=x7jlTOeDEoGyhAeVwP27DA&sa=N&start=18&ndsp=18]]

These are quite detailed but a basic one can be made with some planning.

www.google.co.uk/images?q=fairy+house&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4ACAW_enGB356GB357&tbs=isch:1&ei=x7jlTOeDEoGyhAeVwP27DA&sa=N&start=18&ndsp=18

Thanks Shanahan, I have pixie houses but those are some great pictures. I'd spend a happy afternoon making fairy houses if someone let me

We made ice mobiles last winter, during a really cold snap. They were beautiful, although a bit more fiddly than expected

We used three cookie cutters, lined them up on a plastic tray, put some small natural objects in the middle of each and laid a bit of string over the top. Fill with water. Make sure the string is weighted down a bit, so it is right inside the block of ice.

Put outside to freeze. You end up with three disks of ice, strung together, which look fab hung from a tree. Very eco chic!

Have a look at nature detectives as well, if you haven't already.