outside fun

The warmer weather has my mind swirling with ideas to extend exploration and outside play for the boys. The laundry has already started increasing because their outdoor adventures bring back muddy pants and coats and soaked socks. And I don’t care. I really don’t. They are having a blast! I put them in old coats and rain boots and don’t sweat it when they return to the door. They know to take their rain boots off before they walk up the steps to the door and to take the clothes off that are dirty right inside the door. We do have some rules that make life easier on us all.

Outside rules:

Stay in the yard
Don’t intentionally throw, kick or pour mud, dirt or leaves on the other
Pee inside the house
Come quickly to get help if the other is hurt
All hats, mittens, etc. stay on unless brought inside
Our toys stay in our yard
Don’t stick any limb through the fence that has a dog on the other side
Don’t run with, swing or throw long pointy sticks
Be a helper, share, cooperate, and take turns
Insects do not come in the house, unless they are in a bug box that has a tightly fit lid
Explore, have fun, climb, jump, run and squeal

I am sure I am missing some and the boys will do something else this summer to create a new rule, something like, “No pretending to fly like superman out of a tree!”

Here are some outdoor play ideas I found that I might try this summer:

Water play from childhood101

Gravel and trucks from Two Chicks and a Hen

Mud Pie Kitchen from pepperpaints

Oh, my sister and I would have loved this kitchen, my mother, not so much.

and

Wooden Chairs also from childhood101