Telling Stories Outside: Using Seasonal Materials in Creative Play

Changing seasons provide a great excuse to get outside and play, using fresh eyes to see the new texture and colors around us. Here are a couple of ideas for outdoor storytelling and creative play to do with your young ones:

Sound Jars (for ages 0-3)

Fill a jar with natural materials from outside. If you have more than one jar, fill each with a different material. Hold up your sound jar to your child's ear and ask them to listen to the sounds those materials make. What does it sound like? Which materials can make the sound of wind? The sound of thunder? The sound of an animal? Tell a story about the sounds that you hear.

Fairy Houses and Bug Forts (for ages 3-5)

Choose some natural materials that you can stick together, such as sticks, bark, grass, and leaves. Find a quiet corner where a fairy or bug might like to live. Together with your child, create a structure that your fairy or bug might like to move into. Adults can help with tying grasses or connecting walls, and children can experiment with balancing different elements or sorting materials. Tell a story together about who might move into your house and what they might do inside.

Find your own inspiration and follow your child's lead. Remember, there is no wrong way to play!