Games make everything more fun for children. There are so many benefits to play-based learning. It can foster a love of learning but can also aid cognitive, social and physical development.
In the Little Muddy Boots garden, you’ll frequently see us get our nature bingo cards out. We love playing games outdoors!
Now that we’re into Summer Term, the school holidays aren’t too far away. Why not add some nature games to your summer plans? They are a wonderful way to encourage an interest in our natural world.
We’ve listed a few of our favourites below.
I Spy With My Little Eye Something The Colour Of
For young children, this is an easier version of the classic game I Spy.
Take a walk or step out into your garden and take it in turns to play I Spy using colours instead of letters. Talk about the different items that you choose and take time to notice if there are any interesting features or other defining points to teach your child about. You could also ask them what drew them to pick that colour. Be curious!
Your child will love seeing you try to guess what they have “spied” and hearing you praise their clever choices. And it’s a fantastic way to teach your child all about the outdoors in a fun way.
Nature memory game
This a brilliant game to help with memory skills and creativity. Create up to ten nature card pairs. For an extra fun challenge this could be partner images, such as “caterpillar” and “butterfly”, “tadpole” and “frog”, etc. Either draw or print out your pictures, and then cut out. If using partner images as opposed to matching ones, spend some time putting the first set of images with their correct partner first.
Next, turn the cards over so they’re face down. Take it turns to turn over two at a time and try and match the pairs. Your child will be so proud when they find a match, it’s lovely to behold!
Noughts and crosses
There are so many ways to play noughts and crosses outside and little ones absolutely love them all!
Firstly, go on a nature walk to find four sturdy long sticks. Then make the cross-hatch shape by laying two over two or alternatively tie all four together with string.
For the counters there are a few different options. You could use twigs to make crosses and stones as noughts – let’s be honest, what parent doesn’t have an abundance of twigs and rocks lying around? Alternatively, if it’s autumn time, why not collect conkers and paint noughts and crosses on them for a beautiful seasonal version. Another fun thing to do is to collect a few pebbles, divide into two groups and paint one group in one design and the second group in a different design! It could be daffodils and daisies, butterflies and ladybirds, snails and worms – there are so many lovely possibilities.
This game is great at helping to develop problem-solving skills whilst encouraging creativity.
Bird bingo
Bird bingo is a firm favourite here at Little Muddy Boots!
Make a few different bingo cards featuring six varying images of UK birds. Cut out a picture of each bird you use and pop into a hat. Take turns with your little one to pull out a bird and then cross it out if it features on your card. Before you put it to one side, take it in turns with your child to point out different colours and markings on the bird.
Next, take the game on the move! Grab your bingo cards and binoculars as you head out on a nature walk and see what birds you can spot on your way. It’s a brilliant way to introduce bird identification to your child in an easy, relaxed way.
This game can be played using different animals or even with a focus on the seasons! For example, Spring Bingo is a great example – use images that represent spring, such as blossom, lambs and primroses and then have fun spotting these in your local area.
Find the rainbow
Next time you’re on a walk or at the park, why not look for the rainbow?
Go through the colours of the rainbow and take it in turns to find items in nature that match the colours. You can’t move onto the next colour until you’ve found something that matches the colour before. Some of them can be tricky but don’t give up! For example, a fleck of orange on a passing butterfly counts!
Have a go at these to help build on your child’s nature knowledge while having lots of fun too!
For more fun activity ideas to enjoy throughout the seasons, take a look at our fabulous set of nature activity cards.
