Natural Backyard Play

As the days get longer children will be spending more time outside. How simple backyard fun can be when you put some pieces of wood in it! There is no need to limit yourself or your children to expensive playground equipment and swing sets when a few wooden tree blocks and planks can be used as traditional play items, like seesaws or can be moved around to make forts and castles. I am always scanning for cut down branches and trees for the boys to use in the backyard. As sad it is for a tree to be cut down at all it’s a fact of life so why not use the wood for a good purpose. Using these items fosters a love for natural play and engages children’s imaginations. We have made up many games and skill testers for the boys but really, children need no encouragement when it comes to building. Add some big bits of cloth in a basket and see what they come up with. A book that is great reading and relevant to this sort of play is  'The Well Balanced Child' by Sally Goddard Blythe.