Just Add Water!
This week we've had lovely summery temperatures, intermingled with short, frequent thunderstorms. One day this week I was trying to decide whether or not we should go to the playground after naps. It was hot and sunny, but there were dark clouds hanging in the air not far away, and thunder rolling intermittently in the distance. This waiting-in-limbo went on all afternoon, making it a difficult decision - do we stay or do we go?
In the end, we compromised. Instead of going out to the playground, we set ourselves up for some outdoor play on the balcony, allowing for a quick getaway indoors if needed.
Sweet Pea loves to wash things these days, so I got out the tub of water on the balcony again, and this time I put out a bucket of animals for her to bathe. At first she tentatively tested out the water with her hand.
Then in went the tiger for his bath.
Next up was the hippo. {Hey look! It floats!}
Stop for a quick leg-washing (she seems to have an obsession with washing her right leg - every time we go to the sink to wash her hands, she always washes her right leg too! Doesn't matter if it's covered in clothes, it gets washed anyway. Just the right one.)
Then Princess Pea woke up from her nap and came out to join us. Her first reaction was to step right into the bucket. So Sweet Pea washed her feet for her. What a nice sister.
Pretty soon the whole menagerie was in there together. Some of the animals floated (um, the cheap made-in-China ones!), while others sank (the expensive German-made ones!)
Next some tools came out for scooping up water and throwing it over the balcony (fortunately, the downstairs neighbours weren't home!).
{Ooops, missed!}
There was some taste-testing.
Then, while Sweet Pea experimented with pouring, Princess Pea experimented with dipping her hair in!
{Hey, look, there are some holes in the bottom of this! (Could that be why it's dripping?)}
{Oh, I know, let's wash the dog!}
{Uh-oh, it doesn't fit.}
{I've got it! We'll just wash half of it at a time, then!}
Pretty soon all the outdoor toys came out and ended up in there. They worked as quite a good team - Sweet Pea rummaged around the basket, pulling out toys, and Princess Pea washed them (or used them to stir the water, as was the case with the golf clubs).
With all the splashing going on, it wasn't too long before the bucket I'd brought out the animals in became its own little water play tub too.
And, of course, the inevitable. This time I was better prepared though!
Our Week Outdoors has been a regular feature here at MPP for a while now. To see my other outdoor play posts, click here.
Now, on to the Outdoor Play blog hop!
There were lots of fun entries last week! Thanks to everyone who participated!
My favourite shared post was this one from Sunhats and Wellie Boots. They decided to 'just add water' too, and they got ... mud! This kid is truly my hero - she loves to get messy! I adore this post because it shows exactly how children explore, experiment, discover and learn when left to their own playtimes!
How did your kids play outdoors this week?
Share your outdoor play with us. Here’s just a few guidelines for sharing.
> Any kind of children's outdoor play is welcome. If it happened outside, then please link it up!
> Please do not share any competitions or promotions.
> Please remember to link back to this post and help us spread the word about the importance (and fun!) of outdoor play!
> Each week will we feature an activity from the previous week. By contributing you are giving permission for an image and link to your post to be republished.
Thanks for sharing.
Add this Outdoor Play Link-up to your post
Linked to: It's Playtime, We Play, Show and Tell, For the Kids Friday, Best Toys For Toddlers, No Time For Flashcards, Nurturestore's Carnival of Water Play