It’s been a beautiful, golden fall with cool and warm days mixed together just enough to keep us guessing and to feel like we’re not rushing too quickly into winter or away from summer. Even the trees seem to be staggering their color changing slowly enough to make this fall feel like it’s stretching out a little longer than usual. Some days we’re in sweaters, and the next day we’re back in shorts. It is the absolute best time for being outdoors and we’ve been taking advantage of it as much as possible. Dinners on the patio, the girls raking our neighbors leaves for “free” (but we accecpt tips–ha!), guitars and picnic blankets in the yard… it’s the best.
I’m working with CLIF Kid again to help spread their message of encouraging kids to reclaim play year round. They want to see kids everywhere get outside, push their boundaries and feed their adventure. That is a message I can get behind! In fact one of the best compliments a teacher ever paid me was last year when she said, “I hear from PSP that she actually gets out side and PLAYS! She’s always telling me about climbing trees and playing in the yard. I think that’s terrific! Not enough of my students get outside and just play.”
When CLIF kid asked me to come up with a simply activity to encourage more outdoor play time, I immediately had the idea of doing a photo scavenger hunt. A few weeks ago PSP asked to borrow the camera to take some pictures around the yard, and she hasn’t put it down since. This was the perfect opportunity to encourage and sharpen those photo skills while also getting all three girls outside and searching for the treasures that nature provides during this fall season.
First, I packed the toddlers backpack with some CLIF Kid Zbars and a small water to share, and gave them a scavenger hunt list and a camera.
photo scavenger hunt list: nest feather red leaf yellow leaf green leaf brown leaf caterpillar or spider pumpkin or gourd halloween decoration
I followed the girls around a bit and snapped some pictures of them snapping pictures.
Since we had two days off of school for teacher inservice this was the perfect time for a photo scavenger hunt. This would also be so easy to do after school as well. Listen, these things don’t always go smoothly. Even though they were excited about the idea, they was the typical sibling bickering and I had to remind them more than once that it didn’t matter if they got everything on the list, or if they went in order…this was just supposed to be fun. Having a little snack break to look forward to with CLIF Kid Zbars was definitely an added bonus. Yes this is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own and no joke, my girls beg me for these all the time. They’re made with organic ingredients with no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors (or synthetic preservatives) and they still manage to pass the kid taste test.
I made a little collage from the photos they took and I think some of the shots turned out really well! My favorite might be the branches with the really bright orange and red leaves streaking across the front and the teeny-tiny maple leaf against the big leaf. I’m a sucker for tiny maple leafs.
Check out this great video CLIF kid put together that will make you want to kick your kids out the back door and tell them not to come inside until the street lights come on. SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave
Do your kids play outside daily or almost everyday? What do you do to encourage outside play? We actually don’t have a lot of outside toys or play equipment…I’m thinking that we should change that and invest in a trampoline or some sort of play structure that includes slides, swings and a little fort of some sort. Any advice on the best back yard investment for year round play?
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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
