I do not want to be on MN tomorrow - I need fun, wholesome, outdoorsy things I can do with my DC please!

[IHeartKingThistle]

I became an official SAHM yesterday. Scary but exciting! DC are 5 and nearly 3.

I just want to set the tone for the holidays and beyond now - they are quite outdoorsy by nature and we're at the park a fair bit but I want some lovely creative things I can do with them that will keep them happy, won't drive me insane and will keep me off MN and them away from the TV!

I just want to do this really well - they're lovely and I want to enjoy them. What lovely things have you done that you can pass on?

TIA

Oh and I really mean things I can do in the garden, activities rather than places to go IYSWIM. Thanks!

Large bowl with bubble bath and wash all their teddies
Make a miniature garden - seed tray fill with earth - then make trees with pipe cleaners, little pond with blue paper or plasticine etc
Tea party for toys
Two large paintbrushes and bucket water - paint the wall or fence (no mess)

I got a lot of ideas of games to play in the garden from Judy Murray's [[http://www.set4sport.com/ Set 4 Sport, worth a look.

Set 4 Sport - try that again!

That's a great link Choices!

Janx I used to make those little gardens all the time when I was a kid - I had completely forgotten!

My two made some recently - took me back to when I made them - they lived doing it

den making
painting the patio/fence with paintbrushes and water
teddy bears picnic... you could make cakes/sandwiches together first
bug hunts and make bug houses
make a vegetable patch or plant some in pots
obstcle course
hide and seek or tag
also bring some indoor toys out to play with on a blanket (lego, drawing, cars, small world)
read stories under a blanket
sing action songs
play outside in waterproofs and wellys in the rain

Have you seen the national trusts '50 things to do before your 11 3/4' they have a great website you can sign up to where you mark off all the things you have done, bug hunt, mud pie making, snail race etc. the 'I spy'books are good, or you can make your own 'picture hunt' eg draw pictures / have photos of things they can find, butterfly, ant, snail, certain type of leaf etc. if the weather is ok, get the padding pool out. Get them to help in the garden, digging, growing things etc. you could make a 'weather station' for your garden. They could find large stones and paint them. How about doing a scarp book, or having a nature table or flower press of all the things they have found?

Well, we had a fab time - we did picture hunt, some jumping games, then a mammoth session of hand and feet painting in the garden. DS is not the kind of child to get messy but absolutely loved it and ended up covered in paint and sitting in a bucket of soapy water!

They are fast asleep and I am happy! Thanks for the great ideas

Now to keep it up for 6 weeks...

This website has a bunch of ideas and games to play outside
www.naturedetectives.org.uk/

Can you set aside a little patch of garden for them to grow some seeds- carrotts, some flowers, or some strawberry plants in tubs so they can water them every day and see them grow?

For indoor activities your older one might like making a scrapbook of his summer holiday- stick in tickets of places you have been to, a postcard, sweet/lolly wrapper, pressed flower etc?

I used to look out for offers of cheap disposable cameras- help them to take pictures of things and then get them developed- somehow going to Asda to pick up the prints was soooo exciting! Or if you have a robust digital camera which you could help them with, its cheaper as you only have to print out the half decent ones and can do it on your own PC printer.

Well yesterday we did miniature gardens in trays and they were such a hit they've gone straight outside this morning to play with them again! Result!

If you have a patio, chalk drawing on the floor keeps them entertained. Laying on the floor and drawing each others outline. Drawing a large scene - underwater or forest scene etc.

Have a look at www.theimaginationtree.com lots and lots of messy play ideas that are great for dragging out doors.

DS had a whale of a time playing with my friend and her children when they had a big table of shaving foam out in the garden and also a paddling pool. Watching them role play was fascinating!