Going outside
You don’t have to go far to find an adventure: there’s plenty to see and do on even the shortest walk or bus ride.
Things to try
- Talk to your child about the clothes they need for the day. Is it windy or sunny? What clothes might be best, and why?
- When taking the bus, get your child to look at the timetable, consider how long you’ll have to wait, then look out for the right bus number.
- If travelling by train, let your child watch you buy the tickets. Talk to them about safety, like standing behind the yellow line when the train arrives.
- If you’re going for a walk, talk about the things you see while you’re out and about: look for bus stops, road signs or types of buildings. If you go you up or down steps, count them together.
- Teach your child about road safety, by explaining how to use pedestrian crossings. Press the button, wait for the green man, make sure the traffic has stopped, then cross the road together. You’ll find more tips on the THINK! website.
- Go to the park and do something active together, like playing on the swings. Talk about going ‘higher’, ‘faster’ and ‘slower’, and explain and show what they mean.
- Look out for signs of the seasons changing. In spring, see if you can spot daffodils. During summer, you could take a picnic and sit under a tree. In autumn, make a leaf collection, or gather conkers. On a dry day, no matter the season, you could go on a nature trail. There are also lots of activity ideas on the Woodland Trust website.
What they’ll learn
- Walking, climbing steps, playing on swings, and picking up leaves supports their physical development.
- Talking about the things they see – such as signs, shops, trees, birds and animals – helps develop their literacy skills.
- Counting steps, using words like ‘higher’ and ‘faster, and looking at bus timetables and bus numbers develops their maths skills.
- Teaching them how to use a crossing, buying tickets and waiting for a train supports their personal development and safety awareness.
- Looking out for flowers and birds, and collecting leaves and conkers helps with their understanding of the world.
