OUTDOOR FUN

My kids would play outside all day long, if I would let them! Here is a list of some of their favorite outdoor activities:

• The Water Sprayground, a free water playground, at Watkins Community Center, 616 17th Ave N. 862-8468.
• Make a nature collage
• Activities at Metro Parks (www.nashville.gov/parks)
• Tinkerbell Park in Franklin or Dragon Park in Hillsboro Village
• Ride cars on the porch
• Swing in the backyard
• Collect rocks in a basket
• Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket (or use a serving spoon and bowl)
• Make a Horseshoe game
• Plant a flower or vegetable plant together
• Run through a Sprinkler
• Walk on a balance beam- use a 2x4 placed on the ground
• Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
• Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk
• Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it
• Fingerpaint
• Fill up spray bottles for a game of water tag;
• Turn on the sprinkler and let kids practice different jumps and dance moves as they run through the water
• Backyard Olympics: Shot-put=water balloon toss. 25 Yard Dash=teams of five race on their hands and knees; each "runner" goes 15 feet and tags the next teammate who does the same; and so on until all team members finish. Hurdles=a race through an obstacle course (obstacles should be lower than the shortest participant's kneecaps and should have soft edges and sides). Discus=frisbee throw. Gymnastics=free-style dance and acrobatics on a soft mat. Make gold medals for every participant by having kids paint small paper plates gold.
• Dig in the dirt – even build your own fence out of sticks
• Blow bubbles
• Play in the plastic backyard pool