The great outdoors

Being outdoors is good for both yours and your child's wellbeing and physical health, as well as being great fun.

You will need:

• bags to collect your treasures

• gadget to take a photograph of mini-beasts and birds

• sensible footwear, waterproofs or sun protection as needed

What do we do?

Venture outdoors with your child to see what you can spot in your local green spaces.

Try not to restrict your child to the pram. Encourage your child to crawl in the grass, splash in the puddles and sit on the sandy beach.

Look and listen for signs of life. Examples might include birds in the trees or new flowers at the park. Encourage your child to use all their senses, and talk about what you're seeing, hearing or smelling together.

Talk about the changing of the seasons.

Bring a bag to collect treasures - twigs, leaves, feathers and so on. Or, zoom in using your camera and take some close-up photographs of what you see.

Children love to transport objects from one place to another. A child's wheelbarrow, a selection of buckets and watering cans can help them with this.

Activities to try:

• make a den

• play pooh sticks

• have your own mini-beast adventure

• have a picnic

• splash in the stream

• climb small hills and trees

• roll down slopes

• dig with spades

• sweep up leaves

Skills your child will learn:

• exploring the senses - smells, sounds and materials that feel different to those indoors

• develop language skills

• develop muscle strength