5 Ways Nannies Can Create a Learning Environment in the Backyard

One of the best things about being a nanny is that you can plan what you and your charge will do every day, which can include spending lots of time outside. Being outside is a great time to enjoy running, jumping, climbing, and just being generally active, and is also a great place to create a fun learning environment.

1. Plant your own garden. Gardens are always a favorite with kids. Not only is it a perfect excuse to get dirty, it’s exciting to watch a seed grow into a fruit or vegetable they can eat and enjoy. As an added bonus, gardening is also an ongoing science project. It teaches children about the earth, the atmosphere, how elements work together and how they react to each other. By writing journal entries, taking photographs, and keeping progress charts and other tracking tools, you can foster critical thinking and expand writing, reading, and math skills. Helping children understand the path from seed to table also teaches children about sustainability and gets them actively invested in environmental issues.
2. Set up a sand and water table. These activity centers have been a staple of preschools for years but they’re also the perfect addition to a backyard. You can buy an inexpensive sand and water table at a toy or teacher supply store, or make your own using large plastic bins from any retail store. It’s best to use play sand, which is the kind used for sand boxes. Sand and water tables encourage kids to use their hands to figure out how things work, and it is this kind of sensory play that is a fundamental way children learn. Add some small objects like cups, sifters, and tubes to encourage kids to scoop, pour, sift and discover how it all works. These simple tasks develop small motor control and coordination, as well as teach physics, math and physical science. Asking “I wonder” and “What if” questions helps encourage creativity and critical thinking. By keeping a tight lid on the sand and water table you can keep it clean for long stretches of time without a major overhaul.
3. Create an outdoor craft space. Most of the time crafts are done inside at the kitchen table. Bringing the creativity outside lets you do old things in a whole new way. Use craft paper taped to the fence or wall as a huge mural space. Use toes and feet with finger paints. Apply slightly watered down glue to poster board with paint brushes, and add the sticks, leaves, acorns and other treasures you collected on a hike. Use sponge painting to decorate large cardboard boxes that you can later use in creative play. Go wild with sidewalk chalk on the side of the play set’s fort. Clean-up is always easier outside, and there’s not the worry that you’re going to ruin a valuable table or stain the kitchen rug.
4. Explore the wonderful world of bugs and insects. You don’t have to wander far to discover a variety of creepy crawly creatures in your backyard or local park. Kids are naturally curious and want to learn about the spiders, ladybugs, caterpillars, worms and lighting bugs they share the world with. Create a backyard safari guide to detail the creatures commonly found in your local area. Use the local library, science learning center and home computer to uncover fun facts. Put together a safari outfit and toolkit and go exploring. This is a perfect opportunity for kids to journal through words and pictures about their discoveries, compare one species to another, and learn about life cycles and natural habitat. All these things tie into the natural sciences and critical thinking skills so important in school.
5. Let creativity rule. Outdoor spaces are perfect for creative play. With a few basic household supplies, kids can go on a scavenger hunt, build a hut on a deserted island, or escape alligators in a trusty boat. Keep your eye out for inexpensive laundry baskets, cookie sheets, linens and other things kids can use outside. Create an “imagine that” box that you can easily bring outside with you and let their imaginations take off. Also, never underestimate the power of the large cardboard box. What’s usually too big for the living room is perfect for the backyard. By combining household items with trees, bushes, play sets, and outdoor furniture kids can create a world of their own. Imaginary play isn’t just a fun way to pass the afternoon; it also helps to develop social, emotional and language skills, and fosters creativity and problem solving.

Nannies are lucky that they get to enjoy getting outside in all kinds of weather. And just because you’re out of the house, doesn’t mean the learning has to stop. With a little planning, you can offer the children you care for lots of opportunities to combine fresh air, fun and learning.

Related content:

1. How to Make a Backyard Carnival on a Budget
2. 10 Reasons Kids Love Running Around Barefoot
3. Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Taken From NannyPro