Lessons From the Porch
This time of year is perfect to spring into learning without going far from your home. Kids are very curious if you lead them in the right direction, they can learn without the computer or worksheets. Here are some outdoor and very inexpensive things to spark observation and communication skills with your young child. Let me know if you try any and how it goes!
Learn from the sky:
Record the weather patterns on a calendar. Kids can fill in the numbers if you draw the lines! How many days are cloudy, rainy, cool, cold, hot, etc. Was the meteorologist right when he gave they gave the forecast? What kind of clothes did you put on for today's weather? What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow?
Measure rain fall. Use predictions: How much rain do you think will fall? Use a simple measuring cup left outside to measure the water. Was your prediction close? Is it going to rain again soon? Look up to the sky and predict.
Watch the clouds and draw the shapes you see. Do you remember the different types of clouds?
On a windy day, collect things to test if they can be moved by the wind. What direction ins the wind coming from? How does the wind make you feel? Do you like the wind?
Mark your shadow at different times during the day. How big is your shadow? Where is it? Is in front of you or on the side of you? Is the shadow big or small? What do you notice about the sun in the sky when you look at your shadow?
Take a look outside at night. Can you find the moon? What shape is it? Can you see the stars? If you connected the stars could you draw a picture? What do you hear? Is it different than what you hear during the day? Draw a picture of the night sky with a white crayon or colored pencil on dark paper.
Learn from a short walk:
Have you noticed the buds on the trees? What do they look like? What can you see?
What color flowers have you seen?
What animals do you see moving around outside? Count the rabbits and the birds.
What senses do you use when you are outside?
What kind of textures can you feel? Are they hard, soft, rough, bumpy, etc.
What can you make with things you find on your walk?
Learn from your yard:
Make a bird feeder to invite all of the birds that are out right now to your yard. You can make a birdfeeder out of string and recyclable items including: milk jugs, water bottles, potato chip cans, oranges, paper tubes rolled in vegetable shortening and then rolled in bird seed
Dig in the dirt and see what you find. Any worms or other creatures?
Blow bubbles with different shaped wands. Use pipe cleaners to design your own. What shape are the bubbles? Where do they go? How far can you see them?
If you have some rain water collected in your backyard or a deep enough puddle, test to see what sinks and what floats. Can you make a boat that will float? What materials do you need to make a boat?
Make a rainbow from sun and water in a glass. Make a rainbow from water spraying from a hose while in the sunshine.
Write on the sidewalk with ice. What can you draw? What happens to your picture? How long does it take to go away?
Bring the outdoors in:
Turn a 2-liter bottle (with the lid) into a terrarium with potting soil, stones or pebbles, seeds (or beans) and small plants (optional)
Measure how much water evaporates in your home by marking a plastic cup each day or every couple of days to show the water line. How long do you think it will take the water to be completely gone? Do you remember evaporation and the water cycle? Can you draw the water cycle?
What happens when you put a cut flower or stalk of celery in a cup of food colored water? Make daily observations and draw what you see.
Make a nature collage with the things you found on your walk. Label the items you found.
Have fun and let the children teach themselves with some guidance from you. You will be glad you made these memories with your child and it could distract you in a good way!
