Incorporating Language Arts Into Playtime

Teachers, parents and caregivers can look for inspiring and creative methods to encourage children to practice reading and language skills. At All People Can Play, we know that children enjoy educational activities that get them outside of the classroom, and tend to engage them in active movement, art, and adventure. If you are looking for creative outdoor activities that help children work on their reading and verbal communication skills, we have found some fun ideas to try.

A Puppet Show

Kids can have twice the fun by making or customizing their own puppets for a puppet show! Young children can be guided to tell a story with their puppet, while older children can write their own puppet show script! It is a great visual and vocal creative outlet, and is suitable for children aged four years and up.

Make use of a puppet show panel at your local playground or build your own puppet show stage affordably out of cardboard boxes and dishtowels (for curtains). We found this resource for step-by-step directions via KidsSpot.com.

Rock & Spell

This fun game requires a little preparation but can be used repeatedly for outdoor learning fun. Collect 52 smooth, flat and small stones. After washing the stones, paint one letter of the alphabet on each stone for two complete sets of stones labeled A to Z.

Place the stones in a bucket and have children take turns drawing out one stone. Pass the bucket around. The first child to make a word with the stones wins! The game offers fun and word learning, and is ideal for playing outside at a park or playground with three or more children and adults.

Alternatively, you could have an interactive spelling bee utilizing our Alpha Activity Panel available on a number of our commercial play structures. Kids learn visually, so have them spell out the words by pointing to each letter on the panel. Or come up with your own spelling game.

Treasure Map

Send kids on a treasure hunt and expand their reading comprehension, critical thinking skills and teamwork. Generate a treasure map and a series of scrolls as “clues” to the location of the treasure and watch kids have hours of fun!

We found a fun idea for a Minecraft themed treasure hunt that kids would love. It will get them off the computer or tablet and outside running from one clue to the next.

Do you have a fun idea to help keep kids active and engaged outdoors? Send us a note from our Contact Page, or leave a link and comment below.