Page 1 : Arts and Crafts 

ART...

IDEAS FOR PAINTING OUTSIDE... 
KOOSH BALL PAINTING
Hang a long piece of bulletin board paper on your outside fence. Place pans of paint and Koosh balls on the ground. Encourage the children to throw the Koosh balls at the paper. This makes a great design and is a lot of fun. If possible have the children do this activity in the bathing suits so you can hose them off when they are done.
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KOOL-AID PAINTING
Sprinkle unsweetened Kool-Aid on a piece a paper. Have the children move a piece of ice over the Kool-Aid. Watch as the Kool-Aid turns to liquid and makes a yummy smelling picture.
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SAND BOX PAINTING
Even if you don’t have a sandbox, this sand-painting craft is guaranteed to give your kids hours of summertime fun.
You need:
Sandbox or large dishpans filled halfway with sand (fill a few pans to share)
Spray bottles filled with water
Food coloring
Small sand shovels
1.  Add 20 or more drops of food coloring to spray bottles to make colored water.
2.  At the sand area give children several bottles of colored water. As they spray, the sand will change color, creating a wonderful painting.
3.  If the kids want to ‘paint’ a new picture, direct them to mix under the top layer with their shovels. Be sure to protect clothing from the food color!
SAFETY NOTE: Most commercially sold play sand is actually powder from quarried quartz – a substance known by OSHA to cause lung disease. You can purchase safe sand from companies like SafeSand.com.
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COLORED WATER FENCE PAINTING
Hang a long piece of bulletin board paper on your outside fence. Give the children bottles of colored water and have them squirt the paper. For young children, this is a lot of fun and a great way to see how secondary colors are made. Example: Spraying blue and yellow water on the paper make a beautiful green design.
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GOLF BALL PAINTING
Cut out a large piece of paper and put it in the bottom of a very small plastic pool. Place golf balls dipped in different paint colors on the paper. Together the children can hold the edges of the pool and roll the golf balls around. This makes a great design when you are done.

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GRASS TEXTURES... Have kids paint green designs on white construction paper. While the paint is still wet-have them sprinkle on grass clippings.

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BACKYARD MURAL
Take painting outdoors and transform an old white sheet into a wonderful work of art!
You need: An old solid color bed sheet, Tempera paints, Paint brushes
Squirt bottles, Sponges
1.  Start by soaking an old sheet in water and then hanging it on a clothesline or drape it over a fence.
2.  Get out various tempera paints and applicators -- sponges, paintbrushes, squirt bottles -- and creating pictures or colorful designs. You can also mute and mix colors with a water-filled spray bottle.
3. Whenever you don't like what you see, just hose down the canvas and start over.
4.  For art on a smaller scale, try the same techniques with a pillowcase or an old T-shirt.

You can also do this painting a long sheet of role paper attached to a fence or on the ground. (See below)

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KOOSH BALL, FLY SWATTER AND 'WHATEVER' PAINTING...

Hang a long piece of bulletin board paper on your outside fence. Place pans of paint and Koosh balls, blown up balloons and fly swatters on the ground. (Good idea to place all on a plastic drop cloth of some type--clean up time is simply picking up the plastic cloth and throwing it away!) 

Encourage the children to throw, swat and stamp the paper!  If possible have the children do this activity in the bathing suits so you can hose them off when they are done.

This sample is from an outside summer birthday party--it's also great fun if there is a toddler or two visiting.  One two year old--spent most of 2 hours walking back and forth dipping a balloon bottom in the paint and stamping! (Barb) Image by KidActivities.net

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OUTDOOR WATER PAINTING: On a hot summer day give your children outdoor paint brushes and buckets of water. Let them paint the sidewalk, walls, etc.

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SOCK SPASH PAINTING
Materials: Box,
Paper
Dried beans
Old socks
Paint
Make "bean bags" out of the socks and dried beans. Put the paper in the bottom on the box; dip your sock in the paint and hold above the box...then drop! Splat!!! :-) The Thinner paint will make a bigger splash
The box acts as a splash guard...no mess!

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PRINT WITH FRUITS & VEGETABLES

 

Try corn, strawberries, pears, cucumbers, radishes, oranges, carrots, beans, lemon, cauliflower, peppers, avocado, mushroom, apples, shapes carved in a potato
Materials:
Paint
Flat pan for Paint Fruits and Vegetables
Paper towels for drying fruit and vegetables
Newspapers, cloth or paper for printing.
Cut fruits and vegetables. Dip them in paint and print. That's it!

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BUBBLE GUM ART--Summer Day-Camp  Fun!
Is this gross? It's fun to throw in the unexpected...this could certainly be classified as that!

1.  Give each participant a piece of bubble gum to chew, a toothpick and an index card.
2.  Allow them 10 minutes to chew the gum, place their gum on index card and then design something on the index card using only the toothpick as a tool (No Hands---but still have kids wash their hands thoroughly before they start!)
3.  The person with the best and most creative design is the winner. If you have quite a few players you can have several categories of winners, such as “Most ingenious”, “Most creative,” "Longest", "Tallest", and of course the “What is that?” Award
4.  Need it be added-no more putting it back it the mouth! LOL

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BLUEBERRY PAINTING

Good for any summer day-but great way to celebrate 'National Blueberry Month' during July!
1.  Give children blueberries to look at, touch, smell, and taste. (Good for the young)
2.  After the children have observed the blueberries add a little water to them and cook them in the microwave for one minute.
3.  Have children mush them up. Use the blueberry juice to paint a beautiful blue blueberry picture. 

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SHADOW TRACING
On a sunny day take some chalk outside and have children trace each others and your SHADOW. When the outline is complete fill the shadow in with facial features and whatever you are wearing.

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SQUIGGLE SAND & GLUE DESIGNS
1.  Give each child a piece of wax paper.
2.  Have them make squiggles and different designs with the glue. Then sprinkle the glue with colors sand.
3.  After the glue has dried (overnight) peel the design off of the waxed paper.
4.  Hang the creations around the room.

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A PIECE OF BEACH
Materials: Sandbox Sand, White Glue, Small Shells…
1.  Mix sand and glue until sand is syrupy.
2.  Pour the mixture into a bowl, plate, cup, etc.
3.  Push shells into the mixture to form a sculpture.
4.  Let this dry undisturbed; it may take a couple of days.
5.  When dry--the glue converts the sand to a plaster.

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COTTON BALL CLOUDS

Have children take a large blue piece of construction paper and draw, color, paint a landscape or summer scene. Glue on clumps of white fluffy cotton balls to create cotton clouds in any shape desiered. Add a bright shining sun in the sky!

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SUMMER COLLAGE

Collect different magazines with pictures related to summer. Have the children cut out pictures of what they like about summer. Have them glue their pictures to a bright piece and then tell you what their favorite things about summer are. If they can't write---write what they say under the collage.

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SAND ART
1.  Give each child a piece of construction paper, and have them draw a picture or write words with the glue. Make sure that they do not put gobs of glue in any one spot.
2.  Before the glue dries, with the hand, pour/put sand onto the glue. Let it sit for a few minutes and then shake off the excess sand.
3.  It should dry flat for about a half an hour depending on how much glue was used.
TIP: This can also be done with colored sand--but for those on a budget--regular sand works just as well. 

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NATURAL DYES
You can get color by collecting items from nature, such as grasses, leaves, and berries!
1.  Cut a 7" x 14" piece of muslin.
2.  Place the items on one half of the fabric, then fold the other half over.
3.   Have the children pound the items through the muslin with a small hammer or mallet.
(This will make a wonderful hanging)

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MELTED CRAYON JARS
What you need:
  •  Jar
  •  Old Crayons in bright colors
  •  Scissors
  •  Aluminum foil
  •  Ribbon
What you do:
1.  Choose two or three different crayons into small pieces. If you use a large jar, you will need more crayons than if your jar is small. (Three crayons will cover a baby food jar.)
2.  Tear off a square piece of aluminum foil. Place the foil outside in hot direct sunlight. Sprinkle the crayons on the foil.
3.  The crayons will melt quickly, so be ready with your jar. Do not wait until the crayons are completely melted or they will blend together to make a muddy color.
4.  When they have melted, but still have some lumps in them, roll the jar around in the melted crayons to coat it. When you are happy with the design on the jar, take it to a cool place. The crayon will harden and set almost immediately.
5.  Tie a bow around the neck of the jar

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 NO HOT SUN for Melted Crayon Jars?
  •  Place crayons on foil in 350 oven- not very long-watch them. They melt fairly quickly.
  •  Move foil off the hot cookie sheet and down to newspaper on the floor and have child roll the jar in it. You might want your child to wear some old gloves to protect fingers. The crayon gets hotter doing it this way.
  •  You can also try having child sprinkle crayon bits over inverted jar bottom and place both in oven. It will run down the sides nicely.
  •  This technique looks great on rocks, too. It coats them in a rainbow of wax. Hope these will work for you! 

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MAKE SIDE WALK PAINT
A fun alternative to sidewalk chalk.
1.  You will need equal portions of water and corn starch. Mix well.
2.  Add a drop of your favorite food coloring color!
3.  Paint this wonderful concoction on the sidewalk. Give it a few minutes to dry and you'll have a wonderful work of ART! 

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NATURE COLLAGE
1. Collect a variety of nature items:
    Sea shells, dried wheat, grasses, flowers, sand, rocks, pebbles, bark, twigs, seeds, and small branches.
2. Put these out with glue and sanitized foam trays for the children to create! 

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FROOT LOOP SAND LAYERS
Need a Box of Froot Loops Cereal...
1.  Have children sort the colors.
2.  Put the different colors into baggies and crush them till powdery.
3.  Put individual layers in a baby food jar, or clear plastic or glass bottles… as you would colored sand.
TIP: This is good for younger children without the hazard of sand…Older kids may also like as a novelty :-)

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ART IN THE SUN WITH SUN CLAY!
Materials:
  •  Cooking pot
  •  Mixing bowl
  •  Large mixing spoon   Measuring cup
  •  Plastic bag
  •  plastic trays or paper plates
  •  2/3 cup water
  •  2 cups salt
  •  1/2 cup water
  •  1 cup cornstarch
1.  To prepare sun clay, place the salt in the pot and add 2/3 cup water. 2.  Stir and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until salt is dissolved. Remove from heat.
3.  Gradually mix 1/2 cup water with cornstarch in a separate container. Stir until smooth, then add to the salt mixture.
4.  Return to low heat and, while stirring, cook until smooth. The beauty of this clay is that when it hardens in the sun, it doesn't crumble like play dough.
5.  Store in a sealed plastic bag. 

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ACTIVITY FOR ABOVE SUN CLAY:
If possible, take this project outside. Provide children with a plastic tray or paper plate to work on. Give each child a glob of clay to model. Encourage children to search nearby for natural objects they can use to decorate their sun sculptures. Place the finished products in the sun. Predict how long it will take for the sculptures to dry.

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THREE SUNPRINT PICTURES

Sunprints made with special sunprint papar and supples can be beautiful (See first (blue) photo) but you can also make them using construction paper as the second red and puple photo indicates...

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CONSTRUCTION PAPER SUN PRINTS: Taped to a sunny window
Cut shapes from paper, and spread re-stickable glue on the back, then stick them to the construction paper.
Tape the paper to a sunny window, facing out, and leave for at least a week (longer for higher contrast), then peel off cutouts.
You can also lay three-dimensional objects (try rickrack, toothpicks, or buttons) flat on a piece of construction paper in a sunny place where they will not be disturbed.

 

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SUN PRINTS MADE OUTSIDE with Construction Paper
1.  Have children place colored construction paper out in the sun----Then have them put various shaped objects on the paper; such as, silverware, flowers, keys, a toothbrush, a box, etc.
2.  Leave everything out in the sun until the colored paper fades.
When the objects are removed, you should find prints of colored shapes on the paper. Take the paper inside, so it won't fade more.
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SUN PRINTS with PAPER TAPED TO WINDOW...
MAKE LEAF PRINT ART...
Materials: Colored construction paper, leaves gathered from yard, glue stick, masking tape, picture frames.
1. Dab a bit of glue onto the back of a leaf, and attach to a piece of construction paper (we pre-trimmed ours to fit a 5"7" frame).
2. Tape the paper to a sunny window, with the leaf facing out. Leave up for THREE TO FOUR days, or UNTIL YOU NOTICE that the paper's color has faded. (The above directions say a week or longer--I think that time estimate would be more accurate)
3. Remove from window and gently peel leaf off to reveal the print. Frame and hang.
This version from Parents Magazine, August 2005

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CRAFT IDEAS...

Having a party, celebration--or just want to make something pretty?
MAKE A LEI. They aren't only for a Hawaiian theme!
#1 LEI IDEA
Lay out pre-cut long pieces of string, twine, raffia, or fishing line---
long-tube pasta, and plastic or fabric tropical flowers.
The kids can string together the flowers and pasta to make a fun to wear lei necklace.

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#2 IDEA: STAR-STUDDED LEIS
Need:
Craft foam
Sharpened pencil
Elastic cording
Red-and-white striped straws or drink stirrers
Time needed: About 1 Hour
1. Cut out craft foam stars and use a sharpened pencil to poke a hole in the middle of each one.
2. String them onto a length of elastic cording, alternating the stars with sections of straw or drink stirrer. Knot and wear.

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Hang an array of colorful twirlers from a window frame, tree, ceiling or front porch. (I made some and they're really fun!) See sample photograph on this page of site.

Materials:
Plastic coffee can lids (Lids come in a variety of colors)
Marker
Scissors
String

1. To make one, use a nail to poke a hole in the center of a plastic coffee can lid.
2. WITH A MARKER, draw a spiral that starts 3/8 inch FROM THE HOLE (it keeps going around itself in circular pattern) and gradually extends to the rim---then cut along the line with scissors.
3. Knot an end of a piece of string, thread the other end up through the hole in the center, and the twirler is ready to hang up and spin. To spin, grasp each one at the bottom, twirl it around and around until the string is wound tight, let go and enjoy the show.

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INCHWORM MAGNET
Materials:
5 pompoms
1 wiggle eye
1 craft stick
Glue
Magnet
1.  Glue the pompoms to the craft stick.
2.  Glue eye to first pompom.
3.  You can glue a small piece of red yarn for a mouth if you like.
4.  Attach magnet to back.

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You may also be interested in the OCEAN/UNDER THE SEA THEME...

PAPER PLATE AQUARIUM

• Color an underwater scene on the "eating" side of a paper plate.
• Glue goldfish crackers or cut-out pictures from coloring pages to the scene, a couple pieces of plastic plant for seaweed, and using glue and a little sand or soft dirt, make the sea floor.
• Using a second paper plate, cut a circle in the middle.
• Cut a circle of blue plastic wrap 1 inch in diameter larger than your hole in the plate.
• On the "eating" side of this plate, glue the blue plastic wrap so that it covers and overlaps the hole on the plate.
• Glue or staple both plates together with "eating" side toward the inside.
• Punch a hole in the top and string a piece of yarn through the hole to hang your aquarium from the ceiling.

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MAKE STEPPING STONES
Materials:
Cake pans in a shape you would like, sand dough, paint, cooking spray, paint
1. Spray the cake pans with cooking spray --Vaseline also works.
2. Fill it with sand dough. (Sand dough recipes are below)
3. Let dry for 3 days.
4. Children can paint the stepping stones when they come out of the pan. You can also Varathane the stones to weatherproof.

SAND DOUGH RECIPE #1
1 part white glue
2 parts flour
2 parts sand
2 parts water
Mix together to create a dough. You may need to add water or flour depending on the consistency.
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#2 SAND DOUGH RECIPE
Add sand to quick set cement and follow the instructions for mixing the cement. Use this recipe when you have a mold or have created a pattern in the sand.

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MAKE A SUMMERTIME T-SHIRT OUTDOORS!
Materials:
Items collected on a nature walk
Plastic dish pan
Rubber gloves
Water
Spray bottle
Bleach
A plain, bright-colored cotton t-shirt for each person

1. First gather materials to make the Summer T-Shirt--Take the kids on a nature walk. They are to find natural objects like leaves, flowers and shells of interesting shapes. The color or inner structure will not be seen, only the outline, so the goal is wide variety of silhouettes.
2. The actual "work" on the shirt needs to be outside. Bring all the items to a central, open location.
3. Lay all the shirts flat on the ground. Each person will place the objects they have found on their shirts and anchor them with small stones.
4. Fill the spray bottle with bleach. An adult wearing rubber gloves should do this. Aim the bottle at the shirts and spray each one lightly, covering the entire surface.
5. Let the shirts stand until the color begins to pale. This will not take long--only one or two minutes.
6. Remove the objects from the shirts and immediately rinse them out in plain water. The outlines of the objects should be clearly visible.
7. Wash and dry the shirts according the label directions. Wear the shirts all summer long.

IDEA: Variations on the T-shirt project include using cut-out hand prints made by kids, letters and shapes such as hearts, musical notes and geometrics.
CAUTION: This project uses chemicals (bleach) and requires adult supervision. It must be done outdoors and the steps need to be performed in order as directed to avoid accidents or injury.

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CD SUN
Materials:
2 old CD's
Tacky glue
Yellow construction paper
String or yarn
Yellow sharpie marker

• Cut triangles with about a 1 ½ inch base out of yellow paper.
• Spread tacky glue onto printed side of CD. Place triangles onto the outer rim of the CD (where the base of the triangle is at the edge, but into the glue).
• Place the end of the string/yarn onto the glue about 3/4 of the way into the glue, let the rest hang out.
• Spread a little glue onto the printed side of the other CD. Now sandwich the CD's together (printed side/glue sides together).
• Write child's name on the CD with the yellow sharpie marker. You have a sparkling sun to hang in a sunny window!

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TWO SUN CATCHERS
#1
1.  Cut the inside out of a paper plate.
2.  Place clear contact paper over the hole (with the covering removed.)3.  Have each child stick pieces of bright tissue paper all over their contact paper.
3.  When the child is finished--- place another piece of contact paper over the tissue paper. Hang the sun catchers from the ceiling or windows.
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LID SUN CATCHERS
1.  Punch a hole at the top of different sized clear lids.
2.  Allow the children to spread glue over the lid and then cover it with bright tissue paper for a stunning sun catcher.
3.  Or... mix corn syrup and a lot of food coloring; paint the lids with this mixture and let dry for a rainbow sun catcher.
4.  With both of these sun catchers, thread a ribbon through the hole and hang in front of your windows.

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PAPER PLATE SUN

This is a simple craft made from a paper plate and a child's hand print cutouts.
Supplies:
A paper plate
Yellow construction paper
Scissors
Glue (or a stapler)
Crayons, paint or markers
Googly eyes (optional)
1. Paint the front side of a paper plate yellow.
2. Trace child's hand on yellow construction paper about 7 times.
3. Cut out the tracings.
4. Glue or staple the hand print tracings to the backside of the plate - the fingers are the sun's rays.
5. Color in the sun, drawing a mouth and a nose. Either draw the eyes or glue on googly eyes.

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CRAYON COVERED-ROCK PAPER WEIGHT

Makes a nice gift!
Need:
Zip--close plastic bag, Wooden or rubber mallet , Smooth, flat rocks about the size of your fist, Aluminum foil or an old pie tin, Felt scraps,
Scissors, White glue

•  Choose crayons in three or four light or bright colors. Dark crayons will make the color on the rock look muddy.
• Peel the crayons, put them in the zip-to-close bag, and seal it.
• Place the bag on a hard surface such as a floor or sidewalk. Using the mallet, pound the crayons into small pieces.
• Place the rock in the pie tin or on a sheet of aluminum foil in the hot sun. Sprinkle it with the crayon pieces.
• When the crayon pieces have melted, but before they reach the point that they run off the rock, take the rock out of the sun to cool.
• The crayon will quickly harden and form a colorful and waxy coat over the rock.
• Cut a piece of felt to glue to the bottom of the rock to keep it from scratching the table.

The sample photograph is courtesy of World Preschool Mom. The rock was made by a four year old boy; it was colored after being in the oven for about ten minutes. With this method as Deneal states, place the rock on a sheet of foil (with a hot pad or towel under the foil) before decorating with crayons. The hotter the rock, the more runny the wax will be. (Use supervision with this method.)

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 BERRY BASKET WEAVING

For each child, tie a long piece of yarn to a plastic berry basket. Have children weave the yarn in and out of the basket holes. If desired, they can also weave in item such as ribbon pieces, pipe cleaners or twine.

 

 

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MARBLE BEAD NECKLACE
Materials:
No-bake modeling clay (Crayola Model Magic Clay good): Red, yellow, blue
Wooden skewers
Clear crafting lace
1. Pinch off small pieces of modeling clay, one pinch from each color. Start with red and yellow and knead the together long enough for them to form a marbled effect.
2. Once you have the desired effect, roll the clay in your hands into a ball.
3. Slide the clay ball on to a wooden skewer, twisting as you go to create the hole in the bead.
4. Repeat this process for as many beads and as many color combinations as you like.
5. Let the beads dry on the skewer; be sure that they are spaced enough apart so that they are not touching each other.
6. Remove from skewer when dry, about 3-4 hours, and thread onto crafting lace. Tie and wear!
Extension Idea:
These beads make cute key chains as well, key chains are available at your local craft supply store.

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OCEAN IN A BOTTLE

Materials: A clean, empty two-liter plastic bottle with a cap, clear vegetable oil, water, a funnel, blue food coloring, shells and sea creatures (available from craft stores- be sure to use lightweight items that float), one teaspoon of glitter, white craft glue and a hot glue gun (to be used ONLY by staff and supervised by staff at all times).
For one "Ocean in a Bottle"

• Fill bottle halfway with water.
• Add a few drops of blue food coloring and swirl around to mix.
• Add glitter and sea creatures/shells and then fill bottle the rest of the way with vegetable oil using a funnel.
• Make sure that cap and rim are dry--- and then apply white glue around the rim and seal cap.
• Use a layer of hot glue around the outside edge of the cap for additional protection from leakage.
• Turn the bottle on its side to create a wave in this ocean habitat! From Kids domain website.

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OCEAN TREASURE IN A BOTTLE

Ocean Treasure"--add coins and beads!
TIP: If you have trouble getting the entire label off - you may want to place a label over it writing the "childrens' names" and "Ocean in a Bottle".

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MAKE A SIT-A-PON FOR GARDENING OR CAMPING...
Remember making these when you were in Brownies or Girl Scouts? Children can make them for family members to kneel on during summer gardening! (Good for Camping too!) Also great for your outdoor 'Circle Time". Need:
  •  1 thick magazine or catalog.
  •  Old plastic coated tablecloth
  •  Yarn
  •  Large sewing needle
1. Fold your tablecloth in half. Place your magazine or catalog on the tablecloth. You'll be cutting out 2 squares from this. Cut out a square about 1 1/2-2 inches wider than the magazine. You don't want too much of an edge because then the magazine will slid around too much. The plastic part of the tablecloth will be the outside covering.
2. Take the 2 plastic squares and the one magazine and make a "sandwich " putting the magazine in the middle. You can use large straight pins to hold all the "sandwich" pieces in place. Once you have done this, using the hole punch, make openings equally spaced all around the perimeter of the "sandwich ".
3. Thread the sewing needle with the chosen yarn. Make a knot and start sewing through the holes. This will keep the "sandwich" together. After going all away around the perimeter of the rectangle end with a knot.

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MAKE A PARACHUTE
1.  Cut a piece of tissue paper or garbage bag into a square, about 12 to 14 inches . Decorate the paper or bag with paint and markers. Draw your favorite design or print your name on it.
2.  Tape the four corners with masking tape. Hole punch each corner.
3.  Cut four pieces of dental floss or thread of equal amounts---about 15 to 17 inches. Attach to the four corners and allow the string to hang down.
4.  Tie the loose threads together at the bottom leaving approximately 3 1/2 inches to tie your object.
5.  Tie a light toy to the parachute. You can use farm animals, dinosaurs or toy soldiers that are available in bulk at discount stores. The heavier the object the faster it drops to the ground. Experiment with the size of your parachute and the object.
6.  Throw the parachute in the air and watch a picturesque landing.

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 MAKE A MUSICAL TREE
(Great for Summer camp, Day camp, Home or Family Care!)
Here is a fun summer activity. Brainstorm with children things to hang from a tree in the yard---that will make sounds when the wind blows.
Suggestions:
Metal cans
Pie plates
Plastic bottles
Jar lids
Metal utensils
Wooden spoons
Etc.
Set out some yarn or string for children to use to hang their objects. If you don't have a tree, you could use a sturdy object outside. Love this one!

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FISH WEAVING DISPLAY WALL

 

Have children weave strips of fabric, ribbon or yarn on paper plates. Joing the plates together to make the scales of a fish! Photograph of Display Wall is by Lisa Tregellas at Display Photos.

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LIANA VINE DECORATIVE STRING

Make a rainforest liana vine to decorate a room. (Wonderful for summer!) This simple-to-make string makes a great room decoration. It represents a rainforest vine full of leaves, flowers, butterflies, caterpillars, snakes, lizards, and other life. You can drape the colorful string around the classroom, from the ceiling, or over the windows. (Liana is a woody, climbing vine that grows on tree trunks in order to reach sunlight in the rainforest. Rattan, used for making wicker furniture, is made from liana vines.) Supplies needed:
Construction paper (many colors)
Crayons or markers
Scissors
Glue, tape, or staples
A long piece of green or brown yarn or string

1.  Make some template for the kids to trace...
Example: When you make leaves ---make sure to draw a thick stem on the top (your leaf will hang from this stem, which will be folded over). 2.  Cut out the leaf.
3.  Draw the leaf veins if you wish.
4.  Fold the leaf's stem in half. Attach the leaf to a long string using tape, glue, or staples. Make more leaves and attach them to the string.

Make flowers, butterflies, caterpillars, snakes, and other animals for the vine. A nice way to attach butterflies to the vine is by taping (or stapling) a V-shaped pipe cleaner to the butterfly's head (as its antennae), and then twisting the pipe cleaner to attach it to the vine.
Draw details on your flowers and animals, and attach them to the string (using tape, glue, staples or pipe cleaners).
Hang your rainforest/summer vine across the room for a colorful decoration.
Adapted from EnchantedLearning

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Make a SEASIDE SCENE inside a small to medium clear glass vase or bowl.

Use beach sand, shells, small stones, small pieces of driftwood, twigs, the small discarded shell of a crab, etc., .
TIP: Put small glass vases or bowls on your wish list to parents and staff members! I imagine your parents have quite a few vases in their cupboards that they could donate--I get a couple every year with gifts of flowers!

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Go to Page 2 for a 'variety' of Warm Weather Fun Ideas...

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Back to Page 1 for Art & Craft Ideas...

30 QUICKIE IDEAS FOR WARM WEATHER FUN!

1.  Play hopscotch.
2.  Jump rope. See Jump Rope ideas here on this site.
3.  Take an easel outside and have the kids finger-paint.
4.  Eat strawberry shortcake.
5.  Plant a flower garden.
6.  Have a picnic--or take your snack outside!
7.  Draw with sidewalk chalk.
8.  Read a book together outside. (Under a tree would be nice)
9.  Make a simple bird feeder. Seventeen Ideas here!
10. Play badminton or tennis. How about bocci ball or croquet?
11. Make a collage of all the things you'd like to do together this season.
12. Make personalized garden stones.
13. Start a butterfly garden.
14. Clean and spruce up outdoor toys. Wash them outside...
15. Run in the sprinkler on a hot day.
16. Have a 'Cleaning Party'! Have kids sign-up for what they want to do. When the job is done, 'Celebrate'!
17. Play tag. See outside games
18. Make fresh salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.
19. Make a wind chime or windsocks. See Category here for ideas!
20. Make and fly kites.
21. Each week, try at least one or two NEW outdoors games (Outdoor Games Here...and Outdoor Water Games Here...
22. Make some bubble solution---Blow some bubbles.
23. Eat some watermelon. Save the seeds and have a "seed spitting contest". (Of course each child uses their OWN seeds!) The furthest seed wins!
24. Begin playtime with a "lap" around the play area.
25. Make and fly paper airplanes.
26. Have a Theme Party.
27. Plan your 'summer-end event'!
28. Have an ice-cream social or set up an ice-cream bar!
29. If you don't already have one---Start an Earth-Day EVERY Day Club! Check out the Earth and Green Thread 

30. MAGICAL EVENING POOL

Place 'Glow Sticks' in several Balloons.
Place them in your pool at night to create some enchanting floating light.

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MORE FUN OUTSIDE!
Offer activities that you normally do 'inside'---and take them 'outside'!
Of course you can always take out bubbles and chalk, written out games with rules, etc., but consider putting a few boxes together that contain...

•Sketch books with your choice of colored pencils, pastel chalk, markers for drawing pictures of trees, flowers, each other, etc.

•Embroidery floss and yarn for making friendship bracelets.

•Yarn loops and frames for making pot holders; kids can also use the loops to make ropes and belts.

•Beads and yarn/elastic for jewelry making.

•Bags for collecting nature items for later projects.

•Wire for where imagination goes: Sculptures, art, jewelry, etc.

•Long sheets of roll paper for murals.

•Books to read under a shady tree.

•Take a nature walk. When you get back , depending on the age of the child---have them WRITE AND/OR DRAW the things they saw or collected. And on and on..

TIP: If you are a parent, these are also good ideas to do with your kids!
TIP: WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE---Always put some CHALK IN YOUR POCKET!!!

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• CHALK IDEAS

 1.  Have child lay on cement. Outline the body shape in an ACTION pose...fill in the body with realistic clothing and details.
2.  Playing a game with boundaries? Pull out the chalk to mark them on the concrete.
3.  Mark off broad jumps and leaps!
4.  Outline shoes. Who has the largest or smallest foot? 
5.  Hopscotch
6.  A group mural

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 RANDOM JUST FOR FUN IDEAS!

IDEA: Consider having a JUMP-ROPE MARATHON (DAY OR WEEK...) Keep track of numbers of jumps reached---and the kids try to beat their own highest number by the end of the day or week...

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ICE-CREAM EATING: No Hands Used!
Give each child a scoop or two of ice-cream in a bowl. Have them sit comfortably at a table ...
The fun is that they keep their hands behind their backs and eat the ice-cream with only their mouths! It's NOT a speed eating contest--Just silly fun!

BE SURE TO VIDEO TAPE AND TAKE PICTURES!
Do this at a family party and have Dad's participate

IDEA: I SCREAM FOR ICE-CREAM!  Pair this up with an ICE-CREAM SOCIAL Teach the kids: "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" Divide the group into teams (number of teams depends on number of youth) WHICH TEAM CAN SAY IT THE LOUDEST?  Have a third party judge ...

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Kid's love this one!!! SUNBAKED S'MORES (Check out warm weather food ideas!)

1.  Have children place one graham cracker sheet in a foil pie plate; sprinkle with chocolate chips, and miniature marshmallows. Cover the pie plate with tin foil (shiny side up), and label tins for each child.
2.   Place outside in a sunny hot place, check after 10 minutes. They are done when the sun has melted the chocolate and marshmallow. Yummy!

IDEA #2 MAKE SOLAR OVENS…
Take a shoe box and line the inside with foil (shiny side showing). Then take a kabob skewer and put it through the long way. Put plastic wrap over the top and you have an oven. The most successful things you can cook are marshmallows and hot dogs. Just set outside on a sunny afternoon!!! The kids will find it great fun (Also, you get science and snack all in one). Pizza boxes also make excellant solar ovens.

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 MAKE A WATER BALLOON YO-YO...Materials: Balloons, Water, Rubber bands, Markers
First fill the balloon up with water ---but don't make the balloon stretch.
Next, blow the balloon up a little just so its half water and half air. Tie a knot to close the balloon. Take the rubber band and tie it on the end. If you want - decorate it with the markers. Have Fun!

 

 

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HAVE A PAPER-AIRPLANE DAY!
Create and decorate paper-airplanes. Come up with categories for the fun.
Example:
Who's can go the farthest? Straightest? Highest?
Can anyone fly it through a hula hoop? Do loops?
Make a 'bull's-eye' similar to what you would use for playing darts; can anyone hit the bulls eye...or the outer circles?

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MAKE A POTATO HEAD PLANT
1.  Cut off both ends of a potato.
2.  Stand the potato upright on one of the flat cut surfaces and scoop out a hole in the other end.
3.  Carve out a face on one side of the potato.
4.  Have the children place two cotton balls in the potato’s scooped-out top.
5.  Let them water the cotton balls and sprinkle them with grass or alfalfa seeds.
6.  Place in a sunny spot and watch his hair grow.

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RECYCLE! WACKY SHOES--OLD SHOES--FUN SHOES-- DECORATING SHOES!

Put out a variety of decorating items such as pom-poms, beads, jewels, pipe cleaners, etc. Have kids bring old shoes and watch creativity explode! Depending on the material of the shoes-use either a good white glue or hot glue. Photo from Carleton Place Public Library

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HAVE A BEACH PARTY!
In cold weather climates we often have "A Beach Party" Theme in January/February to boost our spirits--BUT don't forget about the theme during sunny weather AND and have it outside! (Great for a 'Good-Bye to Summer' Theme!)

• Play beach music and beach-ball volley ball; put umbrellas in the drinks, limbo dance, make ice-cream and leis! Check out the Outdoor Water Games Here...
  

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This one is always great for ouside summer fun-the klds never tire of it! MENTOS ERUPTION -- Soda Geyser-- or just Diet Coke and Mentos... This is a reaction between Mentos candy and cola. The experiment involves dropping several Mentos candies (usually 5–8) into a bottle of diet cola resulting in an eruption occurring because of rapidly expanding carbon dioxide bubbles on the surface of the Mentos.

 I recently tried this experiment with three of my grandsons (Ages 6, 8,11-see photo) They all loved it! We quickly put five mentos into the Coke. The reaction starts 'immediately'-so be quick!

If you want an explanation:
There are various theories being debated as to the exact scientific explanation of the phenomenon, many scientists claim that it is a physical reaction and not a chemical one. Water molecules strongly attract each other, linking together to form a tight connection around each bubble of carbon dioxide gas in the soda. To form a new bubble, water molecules must push away from one another. It takes extra energy to break this surface tension. So, in other words, water resists the expansion of bubbles in the soda.

When Mentos are dropped into soda, the gellan gum and gum arabic of the candy dissolves and breaks the surface tension. This disturbs the water connection, so that it takes less work to expand and form new bubbles. Each Mentos candy has thousands of tiny pores over its surface. These tiny pores function as nucleation sites, perfect places for carbon dioxide bubbles to form. As soon as the Mentos enter the soda, bubbles form all over their surface. They quickly sink to the bottom, causing carbon dioxide to be released by the carbonated liquid with which they come into contact along the way. The sudden increase in pressure pushes all of the liquid up and out of the bottle.
From: wikipedia.org

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ALKA-SELTZER ROCKET ....is a model rocket fashioned from a 35mm film canister and propelled by the generation of gas from an effervescent liquid. It is often used in science classes to demonstrate principles of chemistry and physics to students.

1.  In the experiment, a film canister is filled with water and an effervescent tablet (commonly Alka-Seltzer) and tightly sealed.
2.  After a short time, the evolved carbon dioxide reaches sufficient pressure to cause the body of the canister to be launched into the air with a popping sound.
3.  The canister may be elaborated (or not) with paper fins to resemble more closely a real rocket.

Lessons based around the Alka-Seltzer rocket can focus on a number of principles. For example, the students are sometimes asked to experiment with the amounts of water and Alka-Seltzer to find the combination which propels the rocket the greatest distance.
Alternatively they may derive equations to calculate the speed and velocity of the rocket from the distance it travels.
Source: wikipedia.org

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IMPORTANT SUMMERTIME TIP

How much water do kids need when playing outside? WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE... and kids are playing sports—or even just actively playing—head off problems by making sure they drink fluids before, during and after activity.

As a guideline, encourage at least 4 ounces of fluid every 15-20 minutes, or whenever there’s a break or time-out. Tip: One ounce equals about one "gulp."  So kids need a minimum of 4 GULPS OF WATER EVERY 20 MINUTES!

In high temperatures, kids don’t sweat as much as adults do, so it’s harder for them to cool off. This makes them more at risk for dehydration and heat exhaustion.

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Here's a 'cool' summer/warm weather COMMUNITY SERVICE idea! PENNIES FOR POPSICLES...
Collect pennies and then provide popsicles for a kids' homeless shelter. They'll love it!

 One group collected 19,447 pennies. A lot of popsicles!

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ADOPT A TREE! Find a special tree on your playground and explain that your kids can adopt that tree as your “pet” plant. Have a contest to name the tree. (This is a great way to use a graph!)

Take photos of your tree and encourage the children to draw pictures of it during different seasons.

• Ask children to hug your tree. What does it feel like? What does it smell like? Can you hear your tree?
• Measure the tree...  
• Read books, have picnics, or sing songs under your tree.

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MAKE A SOLAR CLOCK

Materials: Piece of 12" square cardboard, an empty thread sppol, a pencil, white glue

Glue the spool in the middle of the cardboard. Put the pencil in the hole in the spool. On a sunny day--Put the cardboard and pencil in a sunny spot at 8:00 a.m. Write the number 8 where the pencil shadow ends on the cardboard. Do the same at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 a.m., etc., until it gets dark. You now have a solar clock! OR...

LOOKING AT THE SUN...You should never look directly at the sun--but there's a safe way to see the sun's light. You'll need two index cards, and scissors. Poke a small hole in one index card so that sunlight can shine through it. Hold another card below the hole so that the sunlight shines on it!

Back to Page 1 for Art and Craft Ideas!

Also, be sure to check out the 'category list' on the left side of the page. There are loads of ideas and themes under 'Seasons' Spring and Summer!

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Updated May, 2013

Is it Hot, Hot, Hot, Outside? 
Here are  more than 39 ideas sure to cool you and your kids!!! There are many ideas for all size groups (2 to 20 or more) and ages...just scroll thru and see! You may also be interested in 'Water Themed' Art, Craft, Science, Miscellaneous and Snack Ideas!

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WATER BOMB TAG
Required: Splash Water Balloons or sponge and bucket of water
Players: Small to large groups
The person who is "it" throws the wet water bomb to tag other players. If hit, they are the new "thrower".
This can also be played with many variations of the game such as Frozen Tag, etc.

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A TWIST ON TRADITIONAL WATER BALLOON TOSS is making a small hole in each balloon, then filling the balloon with water and letting the kids toss the leaking balloon. It becomes a bit of a time bomb, as you don’t want to be the last one holding the balloon when it finally runs out of water! Quick, easy, and fun! 

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TOY WASH
Required:
Children in swim suits
Washable toys, water
Small buckets
Sponge and bubbles
Instead of a car wash…have a toy wash!

• On a hot day ---take all washable toys outside and let children have fun washing them.
• Children cool off...and YOU get clean toys!!! 
  Great for end of the year or Summer Camp!!!

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SPONGE TOSS
Set out bucket of water and a large sponges.
Soak them in the bucket and then toss it back and forth with the children.

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WATER RELAY...Put children into as many teams as needed. Fill one bucket for each team and place them at a beginning line where game will start; place plastic glasses or cups in the buckets of water. On 'Go" kids scoop up a glass of water and run to a set far line where additional large containers have been placed. When the water is deposited, the child runs back to the next team member to continue play. The first team to fill the container with water is the winner.

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FROZEN FEET

• Have kids sit along the edge of a kiddie pool filled with water.
• Each player has their own empty bucket or bowl beside them.
  Now dump a big pile of ice cubes into the pool.
• At the starting signal, players must pick up as many ice cubes as they can and put them into their own buckets...they must use only their feet.
• The player who collects the most ice cubes... within a designated time period is the winner

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POP GOES THE WATER BALLOON! Play this similar to 'Hot Potato'!

Place children in a circle and set a timer (or music).
When the timer goes off, the child holding the water balloon 'pops it' and splashes them self.
As children 'pop and splash'--they are out.
You can reward each child with a simple candy/sucker as they leave the game.
The last player left is the winner. (Actually all kids win in this game!)

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DON'T GET WET!
Set up a number of sprinklers in between a starting line and a finish line.
Have the children try to run from one end to the other WITHOUT getting sprayed.
Have one of the youth control the faucet, turning it ON AND OFF AT RANDOM.
(When game is over--allow children to get wet--of course have them wear their swim suits!)

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OVER-UNDER OUTDOOR GAME
Need:
Buckets of water,
Sponges
Pitchers

• Divide the group into two (or more) teams.
• Have them form a single file line facing the person's head next to them.
• At the head of each line put a bucket of water.
• At the other end put a plastic pitcher-- with a line drawn on it.
• Give a sponge to the person at the head of the line where the water bucket is.
• That person has to dip the sponge in the water to soak in as much water as they can. They have to then pass the soaking wet sponge OVER THEIR HEAD to the person behind--- who then passes the sponge to the person behind them THOUGH THEIR LEGS.

The sponge makes its way back OVER THE HEAD of one person and BETWEEN THE LEGS of the next --
UNTIL it gets to the person standing next to the pitcher.
That person must squeeze whatever water is left into the pitcher and run the sponge back up to the head of the line.

When that happens, everybody moves back one position-- and the person who was at the back of the line now is at the head of the line. Continue process till the pitcher is filled to line.
Fun game on hot day.
Submitted by Matthew Schlageter in funattic.com

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ICE CUBE MELT

Divide players into two teams and line them up.
The first player on each team is given an ice cube.
1.  The child rubs the ice cube between his hands for as long as possible to try to make it melt.
2.  When he or she gets too cold, the ice cube is passed to the next child in line.
3.  The first team to melt the ice cube wins!

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SPONGE TAG
1.  A twist on traditional tag, this game is played with a big soft sponge like the kind used to wash your car.
2.  The player who is "It" must use the wet sponge to tag another player, who then becomes the new "It".
3.  There will be no doubt about who is tagged because they'll be wearing a big wet splat mark on their back.

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WATER BALLOON VOLLEY
You'll need a bucket full of water balloons for this game.
1.  Divide kids into two teams and pair them up.
2.  Each pair gets a beach towel and each child holds two corners of the towel.
3.  One side begins by placing a water balloon in the center of their towel. The object is to toss the balloon from one pair of kids to another, with the opposing side catching the balloon in their towel.

This can be played with a net, or simply pace off a distance between opposing teams.

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COLD POTATO

• Have players stand or sit in a circle outside.
• A water balloon is passed from player to player; however, the balloon is not passed around the circle as in traditional "hot potato".
• It is thrown across the circle from player to player.
• If a players fails to catch the balloon, or it breaks when he or she attempts to catch it, that player is out.
• If a player intentionally throws the balloon hard to make it explode in another's hands, he or she is called "out".
• Older kids can spread farther apart if necessary.
• The game proceeds until there is one dry person left.

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WATER LIMBO

1.  Set up a water hose in a grassy area.
2.  Line kids up as in traditional limbo.
3.  An adult is in charge of the water hose, shooting a powerful stream of water for kids to limbo under.
4.  Adult starts with the hose high, and then lowers the stream of water after each round. Losers, of course, get soaked!
5.  Don’t forget the Limbo music on portable CD player!!!

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GET COOL WITH A PINAQUA!
You will need:
10 gallon-trash bag
Water
Rope
A tree limb or play structure
A bandanna and a broom.
When temperatures soar and the afternoon gets hot and sticky, beat the heat with the fun of a pinaqua.
This activity, from the Family Fun Web site (familyfun.go.com), is similar to a pinata, but the players cool off by taking turns hitting a TRASH BAG FILLED WITH COOL WATER while blindfolded--- rather than a pinata filled with candy!

• Have children dress in swimsuits so  they are ready to get wet.
• Fill the trash bag with one or two gallons of water and then knot the bag.
• Tie one end of the rope beneath the knot, toss the free end over a tree branch or structure and then  tie it securely.
• TO PLAY, each child takes a turn being blindfolded, gently spun a few times and then getting three whacks at the pinaqua with the broom. The winner is the one who manages to break the bag and unleash the tidal wave.

• Another idea is to bunch together a large amount of filled water balloons! Follow the above directions and 'whack away'!

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MAKE A WATER BALLOON YO-YO

Materials:
Balloons
Water
Rubber bands
Markers

 

• First fill the balloon up with water ---but don't make the balloon stretch.
• Next, blow the balloon up a little bit just so its half water and half air.
• Tie a knot to close the balloon.
• Take the rubber band and tie it on the end.
• If you want - decorate it with the markers. Have Fun!

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RING THE TOWEL RELAY RACE
Supplies needed:
2 towels,
4 buckets and a sunny day!
Great fun with 20 or more children...

• Separate two teams evenly having children face back to back in a straight line.
• On a signal, the first player of each team dips a towel in a bucket filled with water.
• The wet towel then passes over each head of the people in line.
• The last person in line that receives the wet towel must ring it out into a bucket.
• Then that person runs to the front of the line, dips the towel into the bucket of water and passes it over the head of his/her team.
• It continues until the first person in line is in the front.
• The team that wins--- is the one that has the most water in their bucket.
  To make it more challenging put a line on the bucket so they have a goal to reach.
• The game goes on until the first team reaches their mark. If the towel drops it must go back to the beginning of the line. If the team members do not pass the towel over their heads it starts over also.

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WATER BALLOON SQUAT
What you need:
• 1 bucket per team with at least 30 water balloons in each.
• Chalk or other markers to mark the start and finish line.
• A black bag to collect all the balloon pieces when the groups are done.

This relay race needs at least 2 teams with equal players (or the other team has 1 person go twice). The start and finish lines should be about 20 feet apart.

Place the bucket of balloons at the start line in front of each team. When you say ‘go’ the first person grabs a balloon and runs to the finish line.
When they reach the finish line then must sit on their balloon and pop it. The player then runs back to the start line and gives the next person in line a high five, and then they go... and so on... until the whole team is done.
Make sure that the group picks up all the balloon pieces before moving on.

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RAINDROPS ARE FALLING ON OUR HEADS RELAY
You need: 2 buckets per team; one filled with water. 1 plastic baggie per team.
Put a lot of pin holes in the plastic baggies.
The groups line up sitting down, one in front of the other, so that they are facing the back of the person in front of them.
The bucket that is full of water goes behind the last person; the empty bucket goes in front of the first person.

When the race starts, the first person takes the baggie to the back bucket, fills it with water and then tried to get the water to the front bucket, but it has to be carried OVER THE HEADS OF his/ her TEAM MEMBERS.
He/ she dumps the water that is left into the front bucket.
The line shifts up and the first person sits in the back.
The winner is whatever group has the most water in their bucket after the pre-determined about of time.
Make sure that groups are not cheating by covering the holes – it might be best to say that they are only allowed to use one hand when passing the baggie.

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A WATER WINDMILL (Can be played as team relay race)
1.  Half fill a child’s pail (with handle) -- with water.
2.  Have children hold the pails in one hand---and hold that arm straight down by their side.
3.  Keeping the arm straight, children swing the pail around and around in a circle.
4.  No water should spill, if pail is kept moving like a windmill.
5.  (Decide how many times the “windmill” will go around before the “next windmill” starts.

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WET FASHION SHOW (Good for a party, field or water day!)
What you need:
• 1 bucket per team full of water
• Lots of newspaper
• A few black bags to collect all the wet paper when the groups are done.
• A willing adult/teen for each group (The kids will LOVE this!)
Using only wet newspaper, have your own crazy fashion show by dressing up your teacher/caregiver/parent! (you could also 'dress up' kids within each group...)
Be sure to make sure that all the newspaper is cleaned up before the next group arrives.

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WATER BALLOON DODGEBALL
Required: Water balloons, 2 plastic tubs
Players: Small to large groups
Have at least 5 water balloons per player.
Divide into 2 groups on opposite sides of a line with each side having their balloons in a plastic tub.
If you are hit with a water balloon you are out (like dodge ball).
Last one in wins.

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JUMP ROPE WATER SPLASH
Need: Jump ropes, plastic cups, and water
Give each child a plastic or paper cup full of water.
While two players twirl a large jump rope, jumpers one by one are to attempt three consecutive jumps.
They are to do this while holding onto their cup of water and trying to do let any water spill.
The child that has the most water left is the winner.
You can keep playing until only one person has water left in their cup. (When you play games like this-make sure kids have their bathing suits on--let parents know that it will be "Water-Play
Day!)
Sara/Oakbrook From: funattic.com

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Instead of "Duck-Duck-Goose"-- play "DRY-DRY-WET"! -- Or call it "DRIP, DRIP, DROP"
As child goes around the circle he/she says,
"Dry, dry, dry, dry, dry, WET! A small cup of water is poured on the person's head. Play continues just as in Duck, Duck, Goose!

Duck, Duck, Goose--is traditionally a younger child's game; however, with the water-school-age kids may find it fun!!!

In case you don't remember how to play Duck-Duck-Goose...

•  Kids (and grown-ups) sit cross-legged on the ground in a circle.
• One child is chosen to be "It" and he or she walks along the outside of the circle lightly tapping the top of each player's head saying "duck."
• When the player touches another player's head and says "goose," the "goose" must jump up and try to tag the other player.
• If that player can run around the circle and sit in the empty spot, he or she is safe.
• Then the "goose" becomes "it" and has to walk around the circle saying, "Duck, Duck, Goose!"

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THREE LEGGED RACE WITH WATER 
It's best to play on a grassy area or even a sandy beach.
You’ll need:
Old rags or stockings
Cut rags in wide strips ~ 3 feet long.
Use old stockings; they are softer and have some give to them. Pair up into partners and stand side by side.

Tie one persons left leg to the other player’s right, or vise versa. Practice walking together until you get a rhythm going and then try hopping or running. This can be played as a race or just for active fun.
An obstacle course can be created as well. For a real challenge, if it is warm  try adding and avoiding an oscillating sprinkler. Be sure to wear  swim suits!
The kids won’t be able to make it without getting wet!

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FILL THE BOTTLE!
Need:
4 oz paper cups
20 oz plastic pop bottles
Clean bucket
Finish line
Sense of humor and no fear of getting wet
Players: Small to large groups

• Set up number of teams possibly by number of people willing to get wet.
• On each team, one person lays on ground while holding a 20-oz plastic pop bottle on their forehead.
• Teammates run to bucket to fill up their 4-oz cup then they attempt to pour it into teammate's pop bottle while standing over head.
• Then the next teammate will do the same until 20-oz bottle is filled. Once the 20-oz bottle is filled, the bottle person should run to the finish line without spilling. Source: funattic.com

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KEEP IT SIMPLE!

Kids have a great time if you just fill up a small sized pool or two (How about three if you have several kids?) -- set up the sprinkler between them and toss in cups, pitchers and containers! No pools? Put out the sprinkler!

ANOTHER SIMPLE IDEA..

Take a portable BASKET BALL HOOP (outside of course!) and have the children toss water balloons through it! Throw from distances appropriate to children's age. Kids love throwing water balloons-period! Give them a target such as a tree or 'through the hoop'! Just the 'splash' of it is fun for younger kids.

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WATER BOMB TARGET
Required:
Splash Water Bombs
Targets, and trees or playground equipment
Players: Small to medium groups
Hang up targets on trees or playground equipment.
Targets can be made out of cardboard, paper plates, aluminum pie pans or anything creative.
Assign different points to each target depending on position and distance. You can keep points by teams or individuals. When a target is hit they receive points for assigned target.

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OUTDOOR ICY SUMMER ART

1. KOOL-AID PAINTING... Sprinkle unsweetened Kool-Aid on a piece a paper. Have the children move a piece of ice over the Kool-Aid. Watch as the Kool-Aid turns to liquid and makes a yummy smelling picture.

2. OUTDOOR WATER PAINTING... On a hot summer day give your children outdoor paint brushes and buckets of water. Let them paint the sidewalk, walls, etc.

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OUTDOOOR  WATER PLAY TIP...

Save all those liquid dishwashing & ketchup plastic bottles. When empty, clean them up and make great "squirt each other" bottles! Marvelous for water fun!
Add these to your wish list to parents to get a large supply!

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ARE YOU HAVING A SUMMER POOL PARTY?

INCLUDE A MAGICAL EVENING POOL...

Place 'Glow Sticks' in several Balloons.
Place them in your pool at night to create some enchanting floating light.

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HOW ABOUT WATER STATIONS? Great for a party or child care program! During Hot Summer Days-- Hold a Water Fun 'Themed Day'...

Have the children bring their swimsuits and towels to school to go outside for an hour or two (for summer day camp-children can go out in morning and afternoon both!) and take part in a variety of "water" stations. (Similar to a day of field activities).

Stations could include beach volleyball, basketball hoop in a small child's swimming pool, obstacle course (through a sprinkler, over hurdles, through tires, etc.), sprinkler limbo or sprinkler jump-rope (using the flat hoses with holes in them), filling buckets from a kiddie pool, water balloon activities including several relays, and tug-of-war.
You can also ask you town fire truck to visit and spray anyone and everyone! (A great idea on its own!!!)

With activities finished--- all dry off and change clothes so that no one goes home wet. A great way to cool off and have a lot of fun!
Adapted from John Coomer

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SOME WATER STATION IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED!

1. CLAMMING FOR MARBLES

Materials:
Wading pool
marbles and sand (optional)
Fill a wading pool with water and the dump marbles into it.
The sand can also be added.
The object is for team members to wade in a small pool and try to recover marbles with their toes --and place them in their bucket.

Rather than winners with each group, see which group can recover the most marbles.
An alternative would be to float Frisbees on the water surface and have the kids place the marbles in the Frisbees.
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2. WATER BALLOON OBSTACLE COURSE

Materials:
Lots of water balloons,
Space for obstacle course
Set up a summer themed obstacle course. Children place a water balloon under their chins and must negotiate the obstacle course without breaking the balloon.

This can also be done as a cooperative activity or group initiative. If a balloon breaks, that person must go back to the beginning, get another balloon and start again. The team must wait for the missing member to rejoin.
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3. BEACH TIME RELAY RACE

Materials:
Beach bag filled with game item
A lawn chair for each group.
Each team will "go to the beach" in relay fashion carrying the lawn chair and the beach bag.
Each person...
1.  Must set up the chair
2.  Open the umbrella
3.  Lay out the towel
4.  Put on the sunglasses
5.  Sit
6.  Open the magazine
7.  Repack before returning for the next person to go.
    This one is fun to watch.
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4. BALLOON BRIGADE

Materials:
Many water balloons in buckets or tubs, laundry basket.
Participants stand in a circle and pass one balloon at a time around the circle--until many balloons at one time are going around.
After a given time, the number of balloons successfully passed is tallied. The participants then try to beat their score.
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#5. BLIND SQUIRT BOTTLE FUN!

1. Each child  has a partner.
2. They stand one behind the other.
3. The partner in front is blindfolded. This person also has a squirt bottle (cleaned out dish soap, catsup, water bottle, etc,).
4. The partner standing behind is not blindfolded. This person tells the blindfolded partner where to face, when to walk and in what direction, and when to squirt.
5. Keep a few large containers filled with water for easy refills.
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6. The LIMBO idea above --would also be good for a 'Water Themed Field Day...
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7. T-SHIRT RELAY RACE
Materials Needed:
5 gallon buckets (May be donated by many restaurants or school food service) T-shirts

• Player #1 runs to the bucket, puts on an XL T-shirt and returns to the next player.
•  Player #1 takes off the shirt and passes it to #2.
• #2 runs to the other end, takes it off and places it back in the bucket and returns, etc.
• Practice this with the children BEFORE THE DAY in this manner- however, when they arrive to this station on Field Day, all of the buckets are filled with water and have "wet" T-shirts in them!
  This is a great activity and kids love the surprise!
  Ideas are adapted from EducationWorld.com 

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AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT WATER BALLOONS...
Keep broken balloon pieces away from young children. They can be a serious choking hazard!!!
On that same note... the broken pieces also pose a threat to local wild life.

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TEACHING WATER SAFETY
Having a water themed day or week? Do you go swimming to a pool or lake during SUMMER CAMP OR DAY CAMP? 

This is a great opportunity to involve the Red Cross or other community organization to talk about the importance and procedures for being safe around the water. Volunteers are usually readily available for this type of presentation. One of the most effective has been to involve the pool manager from the public pool you will be using...

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WATER THEMED PAGES...

•All Three Water Themed Pages...

•Page 1: Art, Crafts, Science, Miscellaneous, Snacks and Book List

•Page 2: Discussion Topics-Bodies of Water, Water Use, Water Trivia 

•Page 3: Outdoor Water Themed Games and Fun

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Looking for other games? Just click below...

• School-Age Gym Games
• Outdoor Games
• Races, Relays, Balloons & Beanbags
• Parachute Games
• Jump Rope
• Games for two or more (small groups)
• Pre-K
• Low Energy, Table or Circle Games

There are also games in every 'Seasonal, Theme and Holiday' category! See left-side category list...

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'SAND PLAY' ITEMS FOR OUTDOORS...

Bowls, Buckets, Cars & Trucks, Colander, Cookie Cutters, Funnels, Ladles, Magnifying Glass, Measuring Cups, Molds of different shapes, Muffin tins, Natural Materials: Seeds, shells, pebbles, sticks, Pails, Plastic animals, dishes, people--Rake, Rolling Pin, Scale, Scoops, Shovels, Sieve, Sifters, Spoons, Strainer

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SENSORY TABLE TIP  Yes, this is a 'Sand Theme' however-- along with the above-- You could add Beans, Seeds, Pasta, Rice, Ice cubes, Snow, Dirt and Worms, Packing Peanuts, Cotton Balls, Instant Potato Flakes, Oatmeal and Shaving Cream. Have mittens available if playing with snow and ice in the table or tubs.

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SAND ART AND CRAFTS...

SAND BOX PAINTING
Even if you don’t have a sandbox, this sand-painting craft is guaranteed to give your kids hours of warm weather fun.
You need:
Sandbox or large dishpans filled halfway with sand (fill a few pans to share)
Spray bottles filled with water
Food coloring
Small sand shovels
1.  Add 20 or more drops of food coloring to spray bottles to make colored water.
2.  At the sand area give children several bottles of colored water. As they spray, the sand will change color, creating a wonderful painting.
3.  If the kids want to ‘paint’ a new picture, direct them to mix under the top layer with their shovels. Be sure to protect clothing from the food color!

SAFETY NOTE: Most commercially sold play sand is actually powder from quarried quartz – a substance known by OSHA to cause lung disease. You can purchase safe sand from companies like SafeSand.com.
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SAND ART
1.  Give each child a piece of construction paper, and have them draw a picture or write words with the glue. Make sure that they do not put gobs of glue in any one spot.
2.  Before the glue dries, with the hand, pour/put sand onto the glue. Let it sit for a few minutes and then shake off the excess sand.
3.  It should dry flat for about a half an hour depending on how much glue was used.
TIP: This can also be done with colored sand--but for those on a budget--regular sand works just as well. 

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DRY SAND PAINT

1 cup sand  and 1 T. powdered paint

Mix and put into a shaker.
Put glue design onto paper-Shake sand onto the glue

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SAND PLAY DOUGH #1
½ cup sand
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup boiling water
Mix ingredients together and knead.

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#2 To make a similar recipe Cassie in Michigan uses:

2 Cups Sand
1 Cup Cornstarch
1 Cup Water

FYI:
• Play sand comes in a variety or colors. A 50lb bag of play sand is usually about $5.00.
• To use the entire 50 pounds, you'd need 24 boxes of cornstarch.
• It may not make perfect sand castles, but is fun to squeeze, squish, bury things, make hand prints & other shapes. Some have said their castles came out nicely! Let us know!

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SAND PLAY RECIPE #3
• 1 part white glue
• 2 parts flour
• 2 parts sand
• 2 parts water
Mix together to create a dough. You may need to add water or flour depending on the consistency.

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SAND PLAY DOUGH #4...

4 cups of play table sand
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup of water
Put all ingredients in a large container and mix well...

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SAND PLAY RECIPE #5
Add sand to quick set cement and follow the instructions for mixing the cement. Use this recipe when you have a mold or have created a pattern in the sand.

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HOMEMADE 'MOON' SAND (Way cheaper than buying it!)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups corn starch
6 cups play sand
Optional: Add package of Kool-aid if want it colored

Recipe for 1 batch...

1. First thoroughly mix together the sand,cornstarch and water. It will take a few minutes to get it smooth. Really work it in with your fingers...and then it's done!

2. You may need to add a bit more water--but be careful and add just a small amound at a time; it could get goopy.

3. When done--Place in an an airtight container. Next time, revive it with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Just sprinkle it over and work it in.

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A PIECE OF BEACH
Materials: Sandbox Sand, White Glue, Small Shells…
1.  Mix sand and glue until sand is syrupy.
2.  Pour the mixture into a bowl, plate, cup, etc.
3.  Push shells into the mixture to form a sculpture.
4.  Let this dry undisturbed; it may take a couple of days.
5.  When dry--the glue converts the sand to a plaster.

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MAKE SAND JARS

 

Need: Baby food jars or other jars, colored sand or sand and tempera paint

If not using purchased colored sand, combine the sand with the dry tmepera paint. Make a variety of colors. Salt also works for white.

Layer the different colors of sand into the jar. (Using small funnels to put the sand into the jars keep areas neat.) You can also use a straw or kabob stick to 'poke' through desired layers of sand to make designs

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OCEAN IN A BOTTLE USING SAND
Materials:
Bottles (Such as peanut butter jars, baby food jars, etc.)
Sand
Sea Creatures or _______
Pebbles
Water and salt
1. Put sand and small rocks in a bottle.
2. Add small plastic sea creatures and grass (seaweed)
3. Put in water and salt.
4. Tip: Super glue lids shut to keep secure. (Submitted by Cassie/Mi.)

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FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND...

Decide where to make your sand footprints. You can use a sandbox or a deep box filled with sand.  If you are at the beach-- the damp, hard-packed sand near the water's edge works best. If the sand is dry, add water to make sure that it is firm and will hold the shape.

1. To make the foot prints--place foot hard into sand so the imprint is at least 1/2 inch deep.
2. Mix the plaster according to the instructions on the package until it is thick.
3. Fill the foot imprint with the plaster mixture, pouring slowly so the mold remains intact.
4. While the plaster is drying --cut  wire into 2 inch or 5 cm pieces.  Bend in the middle to create a hanger. As the plaster begins to harden, push the hanger into the plaster. (If you will be casting both of the child's feet--use wire that is about 6 inches long and shape each end of the wire into a "L" shape before you insert into the plaster.)

When the plaster should form and harden in about 45 minutes. Gently lift the shape from the sand; clean the sand from it.
Allow the foot print to dry for at least one hour-- or follow instructions on plaster mix for drying time.
When dry it's ready to decorate as desired. Example: Paint it and then glue on beads, etc.

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MAKE A SAND SCOOP...

Cut off the bottom of a milk jug and put it aside for another activity. Glue the lids onto the tops of the jugs to make scoops. Have children decorate the scoops with colored glue and permanent markers.

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SQUIGGLE SAND & GLUE DESIGNS
1.  Give each child a piece of wax paper.
2.  Have them make squiggles and different designs with the glue. Then sprinkle the glue with colored sand.
3.  After the glue has dried (overnight) peel the design off of the waxed paper.
4.  Hang the creations around the room

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SAND THEMED SNACKS...

ANTS IN THE SAND
2 Graham crackers
Chocolate sprinkles
1.  Place graham crackers in a plastic sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin.
2.  Add a few chocolate sprinkles to make ants, then seal the bag.
3.  Give the bag to the kids to take outside to eat; they can also pour it into a small bowl and eat at the table (Using their fingers, of course.)

Variations:
Add raisins (Call them beetles)
Red Hots candy (ladybugs)
Mini chocolate chips (spider eggs).
1 Serving

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SAND CUPS #1 - Kids love them!

Ingredients:
2 c Cold Milk
1 pk Jello pudding mix (4 serve)
8 oz cool whip, thawed
12 oz Vanilla wafers, crushed
8 7oz clear plastic cups
Choice of Mini umbrellas, gummy bears, worms, star fish, etc.

1. Pour milk into large bowl.
2. Add pudding mix. Beat with a whisk until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Let stand 5 minutes.
4. Stir in topping
5. Place 1 tablespoon crushed cookies into each cup. Fill cups 3/4 full with pudding mix. Top with remaining cookies.
6. Refrigerate for one hour.
7. Before serving- decorate with some of the above...
8. Makes 8 servings.

If you're making a batch of Sand Cups and feeling creative--serve it from a  child's new sand pail and scoop it out with the shovel!

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ANT HILL-- Make  edible ant hills in cups!
Use clear plastic punch cups to see the layers.
1. For the 'dirt" layer--first put chocolate pudding into the cup.
2. Crush graham crackers in a plastic Ziploc bag and pour the crumbs into the cup for the anthill "sand".
3. Add chocolate chips or raisins for the "ants".

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SAND CUPS #2

Low on time???
Try this version from Kraft Canada using purchased pudding cups! How easy can it get!

Ingredients for one serving...
1 Honey Maid Graham Cracker/Wafer
1  Jell-O Ready-to-Eat Vanilla Pudding Snack Cup (can also use chocolage pudding cups) 
3 Teddy Grahams
Ring-shaped hard candies or cereal
1 worm-shaped chewy fruit snack (optional) 

• Crush graham wafer; sprinkle over pudding snack.
• Top with remaining ingredients.
• Garnish with paper umbrella.
• Recipe and photo credit Kraft Canada

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 SCIENCE...

LOOK AT SAND (Inside or Outside)
1. Put a few pinches of sand onto white construction paper.
2. Instruct children see what the sand looks like using a magnifying glass.
3. Note the difference between grains of sand. (Size of grains Colors and Light reflection)

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GARDENING EXPERIMENT: SOIL VS. SAND

Materials: Sand, gardening soil, egg carton, seeds
Grow a garden in an egg carton. fill one side with sand and the other side with soil. Bury a seed in each cup for a side-by-side comparison. Which seeds started growing first...and which grew the fastest, strongest and tallest?

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Make one of the above 'SAND DOUGH RECIPES'...  ARTS & CRAFTS.  Anything starting out liquid and becoming solid is science...this includes all play dough and much of cooking...(Recipes also found in Play Dough Category)

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BURY METAL...FIND IT WITH MAGNETS
Hide metal objects in dry sand to see if the magnet can find them. After, extend the activity by adding water to the sand. Will the magnet still find the metal objects? Next, put the magnets in tubs/pails of water. Will the magnet attract the metal?

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 GAMES

 

•  NUMBERS IN THE SAND
  Required: Sand Play area, Numbered tags and prizes
  Players: Small to medium groups.

Play this game at a sandy area like a volleyball court or large sandbox. The object of the game is to hide small tags or slips of paper that have been labeled, in the sand. There are two options for labeling the slips of paper.

One would be using a point system by labeling the tags 2 points, 5 points, and/or 10 points.

Bury the tags with the higher points deeper in the sand, so that it takes a little bit more effort to find them.
A point system would work better for a small group. For each player you should make and bury about 5-8 tags.
The other option rather than the point system for labeling tags is winning a prize.

Purchase various prizes for the group to win from small items like candy pieces, bags of chips and cracker snacks, to large items that might have even been donated. Have each number on the tags represent a different prize.
By Bob Brickner at funattic.com

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SIFTING FOR GOLD
Have children pretend to be gold miners.
Paint very small rocks, gold.
Hide them in the sand.
Give children small sifters to sift through the sand looking for gold.

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DINOSAUR BONES
What child wouldn’t like searching for dinosaur bones?
    1. Save old chicken bones.
    2. Clean in hot soapy water.
    3. Hide the bones in the sand.
    4. Give children small brushes to brush through the sand searching for bones.

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PASS THE SAND
Need Containers, Paper Plates and Sand

Divide the group into two (or more) teams and line them up.

Have the first person in each line grab a handful of sand from a container. They must pass the sand to the next player, who passes it to the next, and so on down the line.

When the sand reaches the last player, he/she pours what is left of it on a plate. The team with the most sand wins the game. (You may have to weigh the sand on a food scale if it's close.)

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SAND BUILDING CONTEST

 

1. Form groups of 3 or 4 children to a team.
2. Set up a time limit and challenge youth to create a castle or village.
3. Creations can be judged based on:  teamwork, creativity, largest, smallest, tallest structures, most unique, originality, style, etc.

Suggestions: If possible, offer a variety of sand-types.

Extension Ideas: The challenge can also be for kids to build their sculptures on the current theme--such as Medieval, Country around the worlds, Sports, etc. Have children create stories to go along with their creations.

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Don't forget about TAKING OUT THE SMALL CARS AND TRUCKS! Encourage children to build roads, hills, and bridges. This can be an organized activity where childrens' creativity is challenged! Can they add a small Lego or Lincoln Log village, action figures and other props?

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There may also be some ideas in the STONES, ROCKS, AND PEBBLES THEME (Geology) that you could combine with Sand Ideas...OR... THE OCEAN THEME

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Jumping rope is still a favorite on most playgrounds. Whether alone or in a group, jumping rope challenges both coordination and stamina. It's also a unique part of our cultural heritage. Historically it was first a game primarily for boys. Males usually did not use rhymes. Instead they spent their time on trick jumps: crossovers, double jumping, and peppers.

Migration of Americans from farms to towns and cities led to girls taking over this unique pastime of jump roping. One theory for this is that girls now had more time to play than they had back on the farm, and more friends to play with. On smooth city streets they put together dozens of games and hundreds of rhymes that make up modern jump rope lore.

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JUMP ROPE RHYMES

A SAILOR WENT TO SEA, sea, sea.
To see what he could see, see, see.
But all that he could see, see, see.
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.

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COCA-COLA went to town
Pepsi cola shot him down
Dr. Pepper fixed him up and
changed him into Bubble up!

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DOWN BY THE RIVER, down by the sea,
Johnny broke a bottle and blamed it on me.
I told ma, ma told pa,
Johnny got a spanking so ha ha ha.
How many spankings did Johnny get?
1, 2, 3.... (Keep counting until the jumper messes up).

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ICE CREAM SODA, cherry on the top,
who's your boyfriend/girlfriend I forgot?
A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H (and so on until the person stops jumping) You take the letter he/she lands on and think of a name of someone you know that begins with the letter.

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TEDDY BEAR, Teddy Bear, turn around, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground-- Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, show your shoe-Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, that will do!--Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go upstairs--Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say your prayers--Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn out the lights-Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say good-night!
The children jump rope while they sing this rhyme, they act out the actions as the words come up in the rhyme. An example: when they say go upstairs, the child pretends to climb the stairs.

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CINDERELLA (#1)

Cinderella went upstairs to kiss a 'fella --made a mistake and kissed a snake--how many doctors did it take? (count until someone messes up)

CINDERELLA (#2)
Cinderella, dressed in yella
went downtown to meet a fella
on the way her girdle busted,
How many people were disgusted?
10, 20, 30, 40, 50...
Until someone misses.

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#1 I Like Coffee--With a partner...

I LIKE COFFEE, I like tea, I like (name of next person in line) to jump in with me." Then the two jump together, the second person saying the rhyme. When the rhyme is done, the first person runs out, and the new person comes in and jumps with the second person. OR...

# 2 I Like Coffee--Jump Alone...
I LIKE COFFEE, I like tea--I like the boys--And the boys like me--
Yes—No-- Maybe so—Yes—No-- Maybe so …etc.. (the answer is revealed when the child misses. )

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I HAD A LITTLE PUPPY
His name was Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub, to see if he could swim
He drank all the water, he ate a bar of soap
The next thing you know he had a bubble in his throat.
In came the doctor, (person jumps in)
In came the nurse,( person jumps in)
In came the lady with the alligator purse (person jumps in)
Out went the doctor (person jumps out)
Out went the nurse (person jumps out)
Out went the lady with the alligator purse (person jumps out)
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PEEL A BANANA:
Verse: The two holding the rope chant:

"Peel a banana upside down; see if you can touch the ground.” (the jumper tries to touch the ground without being tripped by the rope),” If you spell your name correct, you will get another chance . . ." The jumper then spells her name, including saying "capital" for uppercase letters of her name. If the jumper trips or messes up the spelling, it's another jumper's turn.

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STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE--Huckleberry pie--who's gonna be your lucky guy?
a, b, c, d, e, f, g etc.. Until the jumper misses.

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DOWN IN THE VALLEY where the green grass grows,
There sat (jumper) pretty as a rose.
Up came (a boy in the class, particularly one the jumper likes) and kissed her on the cheek,
How many kisses did she get this week? Count until jumper misses.

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MISS MARY MACK, Mack, Mack
All dressed in black, black, black
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back
She asked her mother, mother, mother
For fifty cents, cents, cents
To see the elephant, elephant, elephant
Jump the fence, fence, fence.
They jumped so high, high, high
They touched the sky, sky, sky
And didn't come back, back, back
Till the fourth of July, July, July

Or, add to the end the following lines:
He jumped so high, high, high
He touched the sky, sky, sky
And he never came back, back, back
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A HORSE, A FLEA AND THREE BLIND MICE
sat on a curbstone shooting dice.
The horse, he slipped and fell on the flea.
The flea said "Whoops, there's a horse on me."
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RED HOT PEPPER
in the pot.
Gotta get over
what the leaders got. 10. 20. 30. 40 ..... ( Speed rope up until jumper misses)

Keep track of who has what score- then see who has the highest count.
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SCHOOL

Participants jump in the rope one at a time. They jump the number of times depending on what grade they are in. All participants start at Kindergarten followed by grades 1, 2, 3 ...

For Kindergarten they run through the rope without jumping, first grade they jump once, and so on... If they miss as they are jumping, they have to start over at Kindergarten.
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GRADE SCHOOL Decide how many will jump in! Participants jump in one at a time until everyone is in the rope.

First grade babies,
Second grade tots,
Third grade angels,
Fourth grade snots,
Fifth grade peaches,
Sixth grade plums,
All the rest are dirty bums!
Optional:  Do hot pepper (the rope turners turn the rope as fast as they can)

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ALL TOGETHER--

As they enter the rope, repeat
"ALL, ALL , ALL ..." until the last person is in the rope.
Say the chant and then the participants will exit on their birthday month.
“ALL, ALL, ALL, ALL ...”
“All in together, any kind of weather
I see a teacher looking out the window
Ding, dong a fire bell
January, February, March ...”

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SPANISH DANCER, turn around, (jumper turns around )
Spanish dancer, touch the ground. (jumper touches the ground)

Spanish dancer, do a high kick, (jumper does a high kick)
Spanish dancer, get out of town quick! (jumper exits and the next jumper begins )
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DUTCH GIRL
(Act out the different things as you're jumping rope)

I'm a little Dutch girl dressed in blue,
Here are the things I like to do:

Salute to the captain (salute)
Bow to the queen  (bow)
Turn my back on the submarine (turn around and face the other direction)
I can do the tap dance (dance)
I can do the splits (jump up high with legs apart)
I can do the hokey pokey (turn yourself around)
Just like this!

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JUMP ROPE ACTIVITIES/GAMES...

YOUNG CHILDREN can also enjoy jump rope games.
Starting at age 4, children can begin to learn. Start by having them jump over a stationary rope on the ground--- or an adult or another child can wiggle the rope and they can hop over the wiggling snake!

 Move on to swinging the rope back and forth slowly while they learn to jump over it; then once they get the hang of things, move on to swinging it overhead. If you don't have another adult or older child to help you swing the rope, you can hold one end of the rope and tie the other to a fence, chair, or play-scape.

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Idea: Consider having a JUMP-ROPE MARATHON (DAY OR WEEK...)
Keep track of numbers of jumps reached---and the kids try to beat their OWN highest number by the end of the day or week...

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JUMP ROPE WATER SPLASH!
Will Use: Jump ropes, plastic cups, and water

• Give each child a plastic or paper cup full of water.
• While two players twirl a large jump rope, jumpers one by one are to attempt three consecutive jumps.
• They are to do this while holding onto their cup of water and trying to do let any water spill. The child that has the most water left is the winner.
• You can keep playing until only one person has water left in their cup. (When you play games like this-make sure kids have their bathing suits on--let parents know that it will be "Water-Play Day!)
  From: funattic.com

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JUMP ROPE RELAY

Need one jump rope per Team...Divide group into several small groups. The first player of each group runs to their jump rope-which is placed  about 30 feet in front of each group. They then do five jumps and return to the group. The first group/team to finish is the winner.

Extension Play...Jump backwards-five times; Jump five times on your left leg (or right leg); Jump rope and say the multiplication table of fives. Do this until you get to fifty--say one number each time you jump.

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Idea: INTRODUCE DOUBLE DUTCH TO YOUR GROUP! START A CLUB OR TEAM!
GRADES 4th-6th AND HIGHER!

 

• Children in this grade level will begin to enjoy jumping double Dutch. Double Dutch uses two people holding each side of the rope, but the trick is they use two ropes instead of one.
• Those who are swinging the rope would swing the rope in their left hand to the left and the rope in his right hand to the right. The on looking children then jump the double ropes.
• As participants become more skilled, the person jumping usually does tricks that may involve gymnastics or break dancing and can also incorporate fancy foot movements.

Young people do this for fitness and it is competed at world level. Double Dutch competitions are categorized as compulsory, free style and speed rope.

Check out you tube! There is no way any kids will think that jumping rope is for younger children once they realize the skill and sportmanship needed! Click on other group videos while there!

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DO YOU HAVE A PARACHUTE? This isn't jumping rope-but something you can do with jump ropes!

SNAKES (OR WORMS) on a parachute...
Place four to six skipping ropes on the chute. By shaking the chute, the children try to shake them off. See Parchute Category for other game ideas...

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