Make a Mess! It’s Summertime.

Summertime = a sweet spot for providers

Spring, Summer, & Fall are the peak seasons for outside activities. Despite summer being the hottest of the 3, it is also the driest of the 3, meaning less rain, mud, & dirt to look out for. I prefer this because it makes it much easier to take art & experimental materials outside. If you are a 4 or 5 star childcare environment in Oklahoma, you are required to have outdoor centers / elements you regularly alternate for learners to explore with. Contact me if you need assistance with making your Oklahoma STARS book, there are so many new requirements that auditors are thoroughly reviewing — I will be adding this service to my website soon as a new resource for providers!

The outdoor elements can include pretty much anything — art materials, cooking materials, driving materials, buckets, etc

Don’t shy away from this task — its not a “task” if you approach it with an optimistic & motivated perspective. You are giving most of the classroom elements that children worked with during winter & rainy days a much needed break — children engage better with new material — so once that rainy & cold weather comes back again, they will be ready to re-engage with these in-class materials again.

Take that easel outside and let them paint splat! Take that giant poster board/paper out and give them droppers to make liquid art! Complete that messy baking soda/vinegar experiment you’ve been wanting to try! Encourage them to make mud tracks on paper using cars and brown paint, then follow up with a car wash with soap buckets and water (see my Transportation lesson plan!) — the possibilities are endless and a mess outside is the least of any of our worries.

See how much engagement times increase amongst your learners — and I haven’t even gotten to the best part! Depending on where you are located, most summer activities are to be completed during morning hours due to peak heat in the afternoons, therefore, they’re bodies and minds are active and engaged during the morning, so by the time it’s time for indoor discussions, lunch & rest, they are relaxed and prepared for that quiet time to process & I’m all for a smoooooth routine, less stress on me but more fun for my learners.

Last thing, it is to be expected that less arts & craft papers will go home daily— this is okay! Inside days provide more time for paper projects and individualized art activities. Summer should place emphasis on gross motor, outdoor science, and experimenting with elements that do not transport. I recently attended a seminar about “arts & crafts not being a receipt for childcare” and that message was powerful. Do not worry that sending home less papers during summer will give an illusion that you are not completing meaningful activities with learners during the day — it is the complete opposite! Learners learn best through self-led experimentation and PLAY — providing space for them to explore, try things, get messy, make predictions, experiment, socialize, and make a decision is more beneficial than a paper craft ever could be. My summer-themed lesson plans still include many printable coloring, worksheets, and craft PDFs but I place emphasis on outdoor activities and elements daily for these reasons.

I will attach some cutesy photos of learners working with outside materials!

If you’re stumped on lesson planning, running out of creative ideas, or just wanna try something new in your classroom, see my store.

My M-F lesson plans are affordable, easy to follow, reusable and fun! They meet 4 & 5-Star Criteria & I use common materials that are found in most childcares already.

See the about page to know more about my lesson plan calendar layout.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment some outside materials or activities myself or other providers can try this summer.

Talk to you all soon!