While we love the growing sunshine of spring in April, we’d be remiss to not point out the common visitor we all get this month - April showers! We’re big fans of outdoor play at Eeny Meeny and want to encourage you and your little ones to get outside, but facing the mud kitchen in wet weather can certainly feel a little overwhelming. Do not fear! We’ve got the post for you. In this article we’ll be sharing our top tips for wet weather play.
Get the right kit and prep ahead
The most important part of enjoying the outdoors all year round is the right kit. All-in-ones and waterproof clothing are an absolute must for truly enjoying the outdoors when it’s rainy, and we have lots of recommendations for just that.
For younger children, we have to recommend an all-in-one puddle suit. Some children might prefer a thinner material with layers underneath, particularly if they have sensory sensitivities or are prone to getting too cold or too hot quickly. Alternatively, children who are more ‘get up and go’ might benefit from a fleece-lined suit which covers everything they’ll need for getting outdoors and fast! Older children might prefer waterproof trousers and coats. You’ll also need good quality wellies to keep the rain out!
Alongside having the right gear to get outside, we also recommend prepping your home for your return indoors. Lay towels down on the floor or have a mop handy if you’ll be going straight into a room. Alternatively, if you have a utility or boot room, little ones could be coached to strip muddy layers off before going into the rest of the house. Prep is key!
Embrace the mud
When it comes to playing, the best thing you can do is embrace rain and mud. While it’s tempting to keep things outside very tidy and clean, half the fun of getting outdoors in the rain is getting muddy! So, encourage little ones to make mud pies, splash in puddles and even mark make on tuff spots with mud. Set up bowls, cups and cutlery and let children make ‘muddy potions’. The key to this is prep - with the right clothing and the right set-up back in the house, little ones can get very muddy indeed without causing additional stress to their adults!
Explore nature in the wet
Alongside embracing mud, we love using rain as a way to explore nature that would otherwise be hidden. Snails, worms and many bugs love rainy weather, so little ones might like to go on a nature hunt specifically for crawling creatures that love the wet. They might also like to explore the different sensations of wet bark, grass and wet leaves! This can also be a great opportunity to explore how your plants or growing vegetables fare when watered with nature - children might notice that they are particularly happy plants when wet, or alternatively, they might notice some flowers look a little on the unhappy side when drenched. You could explore why some plants are grown in greenhouses or are best covered in wet weather, or why some plants love to soak up the rain. Perhaps you could go back to your plants once things have dried up and see how much they have grown - or wilted!
Enjoy!
Nature is a wild thing - just as many of our children are - so let’s explore it in all seasons! We hope this post helps you embrace the weather however it comes.
Emily Hanson
Freelance Writer, Education and Play Specialist
