10 Outdoor Games to Play with Preschoolers
Outdoor play is a multi-sensory activity. Children see, hear, smell, and touch things unavailable to them when they play indoors. Get started with these 10 literacy-focused games, provided by Lisa Vodola, owner of Preschool Readers
Leafy Letters & Words. Head outside and use leaves to shape letters or spell words.
Step-by-Step. Place one letter or sight word flashcard on each porch step. As your child walks up the steps, have them stop and read the word.
Hide and Seek. Ask your child to close their eyes and count while you hide their letter or sight word flashcards around the yard. When finished counting, have them start searching. When all flashcards are found, have your child read each flashcard to you.
Stone Sentences. Look for large, flat stones. Take a marker and write a different sight word on each stone. Have your child form a sentence.
Stone Alphabet. Search for large, flat stones. Take a marker and write one letter of the alphabet on each stone. Have your child arrange the stones alphabetically.
Ball Bounce. Place letter or sight word flashcards on the ground in a line. Have your child bounce a ball down the line. As the ball hits the flashcard, they must read it aloud to you.
Painting Letters & Words. Grab a paintbrush and a bucket filled with water and have your child ‘paint’ letters or sight words on the sidewalk or driveway.
Watering Letters and Words. Write the letters of the alphabet or your child’s sight words on the pavement with chalk. Then hand your child a watering can and have them ‘water’ their letters or sight words. As they water it, they read it aloud.
Erasing Letters and Words. Write letters of the alphabet or your child’s sight words on the pavement with chalk. Have your child dunk a sponge in a bucket of water, and then erase (wipe away), each letter or word as you call it out.
Hopscotch. create a hopscotch board on the pavement with chalk, then fill the boxes with either the letters of the alphabet or sight words. Have your child read aloud as they hop on it.
About Lisa Vodola & Preschool Readers
As the Owner of Preschool Readers, Lisa Vodola, ME.d, along with her team of Preschool Reading Specialists, provides children aged 3- 5 years a strong academic head start through their award-winning in-home accelerated reading instruction. Preschool Readers has been featured for their educational expertise on CBS and family and parenting media outlets. Visit preschoolreaders.com to sign-up for their free newsletter and receive tips and activities aimed to increase your child's educational success.