Children love outdoor activities and there are so many things they can learn in their own backyard.
Here are some outdoor activities that can by used by both parents and teachers. Parents could simply do this in their backyards. Teachers could take the children out into the school grounds to complete these activities.
- Insect Expedition– Learn about the insects that live in your backyard/ school grounds. Children can spend some time outdoors looking for insects. They can draw the insects and write what they are called. Older students would be expected to draw more detailed diagrams and perhaps research and label the parts e.g. κεφάλι, θώρακας, κοιλιά, πόδια. Below is an image you can use to help with identifying some common animals and insects you might find in the garden, along with the Greek names. Click on the image to enlarge it:
- Features of your house and garden– Draw your house the way that you see it from the front yard and label the following features: πόρτα, παράθυρο, στέγη, καμινάδα, γκαράζ, δρόμος, φράστης, τούβλα, γραμματοκιβώτιο. Also draw and label the features of your garden: δέντρο, λουλούδια, τριαντάφυλλα, γρασίδι etc.
- Make a Graph– Count items that you can find in your garden and draw a graph to represent them- either a pictograph or bar chart, depending on the age of the child. Ideas of what to count: trees, flowers, chairs, toys etc.
- Number Run– Take some chalk and write the numbers from 1-10 on the pavement/concrete outside. Call out a number (in Greek) and get the child/children to run to that number. You can modify this activity to help them learn about colours as well, by using coloured chalk and getting the child to run to the colour that you call out.
- Nature Picture– Make a list of items (in Greek) that you want children to find in the garden. After they collect all the items on the list, they can use them to make a nature picture, by gluing them onto a piece of cardboard paper. Examples of items that children can collect include:
- ένα λουλούδι (one flower)
- δώδεκα πράσινα φύλλα (12 green leaves)
- τρία κίτρινα ή κόκκινα φύλλα (3 yellow or red leaves)
- τέσσερα μικρά κλαδάκια (4 small twigs)
I hope you have fun trying these activities! If you have any ideas to add, please feel free to comment below :)Follow me in social media:
