Footprint Fun
Today Nature For Kids held its first outdoor playgroup gathering. We focused on footprint fun.
Here’s how the activity went:
First we discussed what should and shouldn’t be left in nature after our activities.
Shouldn’t: candy and gum wrappers, water bottles, drawings on rocks, toilet paper etc.
Should: Only little footprints
Second we cut out footprints that were exactly 12 inches long. (Luckily my husbands shoe worked great to stencil around…exactly 12 inches!)
Third we discussed how everything in nature varies in size. We took our footprints and found things that were 1 foot long. Then we went out and explored even more, finding things that were three feet long. The kids spent quite a while mulling up and down the hills scanning the area for different sizes of natural things. They also enjoyed measuring each other.
Fourth We talked about all the different types of shoes and how each leaves a different footprint. (During a discussion you could compare this to how each person is different in their own way) They took their footprints home to color and decorate anyway they wanted (hiking boot, soccer cleat, ballet slipper etc.) so it would be their own unique footprint.
This activity gave the kids a specific purpose in being outside and in the process their eyes came across some fun things, a caterpillar, shells and several lizards (which were too fast for me to get a picture of).
Each week I will be sharing our outdoor playgroup activities. My hope is that it will encourage you and others to easily start your own outdoor playgroup. Also if you have any playgroup ideas of your own to share I’d be more than happy to hear about them at shawna@natureforkids.net.
nature for kids, playing outside, playgroup, outdoors, footprints, nature
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Filed under Crafts For Kids |4 Responses to “Footprint Fun”
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Sounds like great fun! How many kids did you have there and how long was the play day?
linda’s last blog post..Saving a Life!
Hi Linda! We had about 9 kids. We played for about 2 hours before everyone’s tummies started rumbling for lunch
shawna’s last blog post..Footprint Fun
Thanks for a fun time Shawna! We look forward to doing it again next week.
That Sylvansport camper looks way cool!