Outdoor Obsessed!

Hello everyone! So as you can tell from my last blog ('Get those Bubbas and Toddlers Outdoors… Rainbusters are a must') I have been thinking a lot lately about activities that you can do with your little ones out of doors. I guess because the weather is getting colder and weather I have been looking for ideas to keep Amelie out of doors in the winter months as it is not quite as easy as in the warmer months (notice I didn’t call it summer, Ireland does not get a summer as far as I am concerned lol.) So here are five of the most basic outdoor activities that I don’t want to say goodbye to just because winter is here. I plan to do each and every one of them over the winter, what-ever the weather….

Panting – Seeds, bulbs flowers

This is great it is always the time of year for something to go into the ground. Garlic and Onions are due in now and we picked up some lovely pansies recently to plant at my father in laws house.

Playground

Ok so the playground is not the safest place if it has been raining but I watched a grandpa whip out a towel wipe the entire playground down and which it in a plastic bag, if he can be prepared then so can I… and I will. I am going to get Amie to the playground as much as possible. Even though my local park is closing at 4pm now there are the odd few that are open later. Amelie loves watching the sun go to bed and the moon rise in the sky. It means paying very close attention to ensure her safety but hey it’s worth it.

Collecting

The beach is always calling and I am going to collect some drift wood and shells to turn into unique Christmas decorations. Amelie loves the beach and it is a cool activity to keep her busy and away from the water.

Eating

Picnics are not just for the summer, granted they are a lot easier but I am determined to change the water flask for a thermos and still get out there on a few picnics. A good picnic blanket that can be put down on wet ground is really all you need. Try find a spot under a huge tree incise is starts to drizzle and be close to a shelter incise it starts to bucket down.

Walks in the dark

If you can’t get out doing any activities as such a walk is just as good as anything. I am going to walk every day with my daughter. Getting rugged up and walking is great exercise for us both, an excellent opportunity to talk and chat about the world around us and just spend quality time together. Amelie is currently obsessed with the moon, I guess that is one advantage to it getting dark at 4pm, Amelie is learning all about the night time, the moon, the stars, owls, bats and so much more…

Coming soon… I will be sharing some outdoor play tips from our friends over at Clap Handies!

Get those bubbas and toddlers outdoors... Rainbusters are a must!

What gorgeous weather we have had this weekend. I am so pleased. It has just been lovely, cold but dry and sunny so we can’t ask for much better for this time of year. The recent rain and the thought of a dreary, rainy and long winter has brought me to this post.

I recently attended a Siolta Seminar on connecting young children to the outdoors, one of the biggest issues that arose at the seminar and one of the biggest issues I have noticed in the childcare industry is the fear parents have of exposing their children to the elements and the lack of suitable wet weather gear available at affordable prices. So to cut a long story short this post is a huge plug for Rain Busters…

I do not know how parents in Ireland survive without these for their children. Amelie wears hers most days and can go anywhere in any weather. She loves them and even putting them on she knows that she is in for an adventure. They came recommended by a friend of mine and since I got Ammies I have never looked back. I will be dressing her in rain busters for years to come; there is no question in my mind. 

Pop over to their lovely website and online shop at http://www.rainbusters.ie/

 Amelie and her mate Hugo at the beach in their rainbusters!

This is the set we have for Amelie: fleeced lined, cosy, keeps her dry and the pattern is just adorable little skulls with pink bows, I love it :)

Children have an internal and natural desire to explore the outdoors. It is so important that they are given the chance to get out in the air, the dirt, the sand, the grass, the forest, the beach, the hills, the ditches, the puddles and the mud to experience what the world has to offer. From the smallest children who are learning through their senses the outside world offers endless sensory experiences that don’t cost a thing, to older children who need space, and lots of it to be free to run, skip, jump, zigzag, climb, dig, crawl and roll the outdoors is so important.

There is alarming evidence out there that shows that children of today are being raised indoors and not getting enough outdoor time. I have read articles that say infants and toddlers should spend a minimum of 90 minutes outside a day to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Studies also show that a connection to the outdoor world can increase healing times of sick children and reduce the symptoms of attention deficit disorder in children under five years old. Children who spend more time outside also have higher vitamin D levels which is important for healthy bone development. I do not know who this makes you all feel but for me personally as someone who was raised in the back garden, ours or Grandma’s or at the beach most days I get restless with Amelie inside too long. Rainbusters have been a life saver for me and I have so much fun putting on the willies/gum boots, stomping in puddles and running through mud with my daughter. It makes me feel so young and free and Amelie is such a little adventurer, she loves the wet and mud and isn’t afraid of the world. This makes me a very happy Mumma.

Have a great week, I hope you get loads of time to be outdoors :)

Angi x