🧺 Outdoor creative space 🧺

The key to setting this up is to make sure you’re comfortable with calling this a YES space. So only put items out that you are OK with them using instead of having to tell them NO.

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It’s always best to start with less. Pictured here are a lot of different tools but my kids have been doing this for years. You can find most of these items in my Amazon store under “Outdoor Creative Space”.

PAINT/PLAY-DOUGH 🎨

• @kwikstixpaint sticks - if your child struggles with putting the tops back on, then I would only put 2 out at a time

• Tempera paint cakes, paint brushes & sponges

• I like to have a pasta maker with play-dough by @ecokidsusa or @z_dough & cookie cutters

• A 1/8 inch thick piece of plexiglass & you can use a few layers of painters tape to cover the edges

WATER 💦

• Some of my favorite items to include are a water dispenser, stainless steel bowls and pie tins. This way they have complete control over the amount of water they desire while at the same time building their arm and core strength to carry the bowls of water. While this water play activity may seem simple, this helps improve their executive functioning skills which includes planning, problem solving and concentration.

• I love having spray bottles, turkey basters & silicone travel squeeze bottles

WOOD 🧱

• Unfinished wood items really allow your child the freedom to create.

• The wooden stakes and crab mallet are a favorite for my 5 year old as he loves to hammer them into the ground. The mallet is also used by my 3 year old to break colored chalk up & add water to make it into chalk paint (which easily washes off hardscape with a hose).

• Wooden squares for kids to color/glue together.

• Other wooden items include: popsicle sticks, clothes pins, and wooden rings.

LOOSE PARTS 🐚

Some other things include:

• Different size rocks & shells that the kids can wash, paint or line up as they wish. I’ve seen them build a whole city with just these items.

• pinecones

• acorns

TOOLS 🛠

• whisks

• measuring cups

• strainers

• hammers

• goggles

• kids gloves

• dish towels

• Magnifying glass

• Stainless steel condiment cups

• Orange cones

• Rope with clothes pins to hold dish towels and scraps of fabric

• Children’s dust pan and broom

• @drbronners baby soap in a pump bottle 🧴: kids love to wash things like animal figures, baby dolls or toy cars