preschool shell painting

We love to paint on 'stuff'.

Painting on paper is all fine and dandy, but it is nice to paint on something different every now and then.

Nature has some wonderful 'stuff' to paint on, and as an added bonus it is free!  We paint rocks, seed pods, bark, leaves, branches, sticks - anything we can get our hands on really.

Here we painted shells:

Each shell is like a mini blank canvas.  The are small so they can be fiddly to paint and require a dainty touch - all terrific for the all important fine motor development.

We filled a glass jar full of the colourful shells, tied a ribbon around the top and popped it on the sign in table.   Other suggestions include:

• keep them as treasures to bury in the sandpit or hide around the outdoor area
• pop them in the block area
• use them in imaginative play scenes
• glue them to stiff board or wood in shapes and designs
• thread them with fishing line and hang from driftwood to create a mobile.

Any other ideas?

12 Top Outdoor Play Space Pinterest Boards

Are you looking for ideas for outdoor play spaces?  

Here are 12 Pinterest boards chock a block full of inspiration for irresistible outdoor spaces for either the home or the early childhood setting:

1. Outdoor Spaces @ Mia Cavalca
2. Outdoors @ Francine Cory
3. Mud Kitchens and Water Walls @ Francine Cory
4. Outdoor Play Link Up Ideas
5. Outdoor Play @ Mama Pea Pod
6. Kids' Gardens @ Nurture Store
7. Natural School Yards @ Brenda Hillenius
8. Outdoor Play Environments @ April White
9. Backyard Nature Play Spaces @ Debi Huang
10. Playground Ideas @ Karen Green
11. Outdoor Classroom Ideas @ Play Based Classroom
12. Learning Spaces @ Kierna Corr

And in a spot of shameless self promotion, here are a couple of my own:

• Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments
• Backyard Play Spaces

Do you have a Pinterest board of your own that you'd like to share?  

turn a boat into a garden bed

We took the kids to visit the local tip.  Or to use the fancy name, The Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre.

Whilst there, I spied these old boats turned into funky garden beds.

What a playful addition they would make to a children's natural playscape.

In fact, we might have something just like it at school!

Of course, we don't all have old boats lying around.  So why not do what we did and visit your local tip.  You never know what you will find!

Have you used something unusual as a garden planter?

it's playtime - play outside!

Welcome to another week of  It's Playtime.   

Playful Picks

I hope you are in the mood for some outdoor fun, because this week's playful picks will be sure to have the little people in your world wanting to head out and play:

Leaf Maze from Happy Hooligans

Spider Cave Maze from Adventures at Home with Mum

And last but not least,

Sticks!  The original wooden toy from Fireflies and Mudpies

Meet my Partners in play:

Messy Kids,

The Imagination Tree ,

hands on: as we grow and

QuirkyMomma

What have you been playing this week?

Linking up is simple.

help me design my ebook cover - please!

I'll let you in on a little secret.  I've written an eBook.

I wasn't going to let the cat out of the bag until it was absolutely finished, but I need of your help.

I'm in an agony of indecision about the cover design, and quite frankly, I'm sick of looking at the darn thing.

This is where you come in.

Help me design the cover!

• Is it easy to read?
• Would it catch your attention?
• What would you change / add / do differently?

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

monster beans

There was excitement in the playground as the word has got around, our bean hut was yielding a crop of monster beans.  If by crop you mean 3 beans.  But they were enormous.

A crowd gathered to get a closer look.

"Monster beans!"

"We have to eat them!"

How do we share out 3 beans between 25 children?  Chop them into tiny bite-sized pieces.

Small though the sample may have been, our first harvest of fresh, crisp beans went down a treat.

It is such a privilege to be reminded of the excitement,  awe and wonder of the natural world through the experience of young children.

What's growing in your veggie garden?

Nature. It relaxes.

Nature.  It relaxes!

You might also enjoy:

• Nature Calms Children
• This is my Rock