Party in the sun

So it was Cubling's 4th birthday. We decided this year to celebrate her birthday outdoors. It's a bit of a gamble because obviously March can still bring some pretty wet and cold weather in Scotland and Cubling was more than clear that she did not want to wear waterproofs to her party and there's no way I would have forced the issue on her special day.

Sometimes though, you get lucky. The weather was fabulous, the kids loved it and her cousin kept saying how this was the best party he's been too.
And yes, doing it outdoors meant no trashed house (though to be fair I never find the tidying up after a party as bad as it seems when the last party goers have left) and above all space for everyone. Last year, with a total of 15 kids to invite, we split the party into two - we simply don't have the space in our small house for all her pals plus younger siblings plus parents; as much as we'd like to make the space. Having two parties isn't fun, and it also takes away some of the magic of the special day.

Compare this to the outdoors party: I kept thinking that there were kids missing because it didn't look busy at all, so much space for everyone, no stepping on toes or worse, babies. And who doesn't like a picnic in the sun at the side of the river?

Plus, there was an opportunity for something different as far as party games are concerned. Pass the parcel and musical chairs were missing this time, instead we played a mix of German and British favourite outdoors games: Blinde Kuh (blind cow), What's the time Mr Wolf? and Egg and Spoon Race (Eierlaufen). We had also prepared a treasure hunt, hide and seek and Wolf and Sheep (a chase game played on all fours) but didn't get to play them - though the kids got a shot at climbing the massive old beech tree.

It was quite a challenge finding suitable outdoor party games for younger children, which is why I'd like to share the ones we found. Do you know any good games for 4 year olds to add to the collection? Please share them in the comments!

Blinde Kuh/Blind Cow: One child is blindfolded and twirled around. The other children pick a place and don't move and don't speak. The blindfolded child has to find another child and then guess who it is. Once they guess correctly, the next child takes on the role of blind cow.

What's the time Mr Wolf? One child is the wolf. The other children stand in a line and shout: What's the time Mr Wolf? The Wolf answers, e.g. 7 o'clock, and the children move as many steps as the time, e.g. 7 (counting loud). This is repeated until the wolf decides it's "dinner time" and turns to catch one of the other kids. The other children try and run back to their starting line (behind which they will be safe). The child who is caught is the wolf of the next turn.


Egg and Spoon Race: Children try balancing an egg (hard boiled, wooden or plastic) on a spoon and run as fast as they can from start to finish line. If the egg drops, they can pick it up again. They are not allowed to touch the egg while running. Whoever finishes first is the winner.

Wolf and Sheep: all children on all fours. One child is the wolf, all other children are sheep. Wolf catches another child who will be a wolf too. Both wolves are asleep, snoring, and the sheep tease them. Then the wolves wake up and catch the sheep. Any sheep caught by a wolf becomes a wolf too. The last sheep standing is the winner.


Treasure hunt: self explanatory, though we had thought about collecting as many sticks or pine cones as possible in a set time, with the winner being the child with the most.
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This post is part of Outdoor Challenge Monday, hosted at 5orangepotatoes.com - a weekly carnival to encourage and share outdoor activities with children.

Parklands, a Feast of Colour and the Woodcutter

Over the festive days, we took things easy, let the days flow and went with it. There was a lot of lying in, with a baby who likes to sleep in the mornings, and a preschooler who likes to join us for a long lie in. It was lovely lazy and slow. We did make it outdoors regularly, to the parklands of Glasgow, which offer nature at our doorsteps. The snow has melted, and the whiteness has been replaced by the grey of the city, which only in the woodlands turns into fuller colours. How we all needed to see the lush colours of nature even in this season, because the city grey just does my head in.

Cubling was right into it, this is her wood, her Wald. She knows the way, she knows what to do with sticks, small or, in this case, big.

The last remnant of the cold winter was the ice in the furrows of a tractor track, well explored it was, and the last icy patches on paths in the woods that retained the cold that bit longer and made for rather a lot of sliding and slipping fun.

It doesn't take much to enjoy being outdoors. While in the house, Cubling often doesn't know what to do with herself and depends on adult guidance and interaction, outside, it is she who is in charge and leads the way. Entertained by anything that crosses her way. A fairy tree, a gruffalo den, a bear pattern on a tree, a heart shaped piece of ice. She'll reinact Little Red Riding Hood and she's the wolf, you know, daddy, you be the grandmother and mummy, you be the woodcutter.
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This post is part of Outdoor Challenge Monday, a day late but at least I made Tuesday right? You can join in at 5orangepotatoes if you like, head over anyway for more outdoor fun across the globe.