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Fun outside with your grandchild

Your garden or park is full of learning opportunities for your young grandchildren.

There are loads of new sensory experiences for them to enjoy, plus tons of new words to discover along the way.

So why not take the fun outside? And watch the video below to find out why it's so beneficial for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

What are the benefits of outdoor play with your grandchild?

  • Following your grandchild's lead and talking about what takes their interest helps them learn words quicker.
  • Engaging lots of different senses helps children build brain connections.
  • Talking about how things look and smell teaches new vocabulary.
  • Exploring nature helps them learn about the world around them.
  • Spending meaningful time together allows you to bond and create lasting memories.
A grandmother and grandfather sit in their garden at a table with their granddaughter, who is 18 months old. They are having a picnic.
There are lots of opportunities outside to see and hear things, like a plane flying or workers banging.

Using the senses when outdoors

When you are outside, your grandchild will be able to explore the world with all of their senses.

  • Smell: Do you have flowers in your garden? Why not talk about what they smell like?
  • Taste: If you're out and about, you might buy an ice cream or a special treat. What does it taste like?
  • Hear: Can they hear birds singing? What about an aeroplane?
  • See: How many of one thing can they spot? Maybe you could have a game of I spy?
  • Touch: How rough/smooth does the bark on a tree feel like? Or the leaf of a flower?

Exploring the world through their senses can help children understand lots of different things, particularly language. Linking experiences with their senses helps children to the words that went with them.

When your child experiences a word with more than one of their senses, their brain will create more connections to that word.

Discover our top tips for sensory play in this article.

A grandmother and grandfather sit in their garden at a table with their granddaughter, who is 18 months old. They are having a picnic.
There are lots of opportunities outside to see and hear things, like a plane flying or workers banging.

Taking the fun to the park

It's not just gardens which are full of outdoor inspiration for you and your grandchild. Your local park will also provide lots of opportunities for a chat.

Even the process of walking to the park is a great moment for interaction. Use it as a time to talk about where you're going and chat about what you see on the way.

The playground is a great place to introduce new vocabulary. Face your grandchild and talk about what they're doing. Use active words like ‘up’ and ‘down’ as they move, so your child can see and hear what they mean.

There are loads more fun park activities to help your grandchild’s communication skills in this article.

In case you missed it