Are You Ready to Play Outside? / Mo Williams

I'll tell you right now that Mo Williams is one of my most favorite children's authors!  I recommend you visit his website www.mowilliams.com.  He has written a few series of children's books that are so adorable, humorous and simply illustrated;  Elephant and Piggie series, Pigeon! series and Knuffle Bunny series.   There are many more books written by this fabulously talented author!  All equally as great as the next.

Here in my little spot of the Salt Lake Valley, it has been cold and raining for days.  Since I'm a sunshine kind of girl, I have been desiring to see the sun and feel the warmth of it on my face.  I WANT TO PLAY OUTSIDE!  So, it only seemed natural to pick a book (for today's book review) that seemed completely understandable to me!  A selfish move…but it's been made, so bear with me.  Have fun reading "Are You Ready to Play Outside" by Mo Williams….after all it's a Theodore Seuss Geisel Award winner, that's the best award (in my opinion) that could ever be given!

"It's raining."  "It's pouring."  "…it's really pouring!"

First: Prepare a snack!  Hot chocolate and warm muffins, maybe?  Nothing helps lighten the mood on a dark day more than some 'comfort food'!

Second: Read the book while feasting on your warm treats!  Discuss Elephant and Piggies situation.  "Why didn't play time work out the way Elephant and Pig wanted it to?"  "What kind of feelings did the friends have when it started to rain?"  "Who helped them see that playing in the rain can be fun?" 

Third: Activities (i'm posting a few…you make the choice!)

Art: make a rainbow…"You can't have a rainbow without a little rain." 

Simple!  All you need is scratch paper, a set of (*cheap*) watercolors & water!
Painting with watercolors has be proven (for real!!!) to calm the spirit and open the mind!

Easy!  You only need scratch paper!
Find white and all sorts of other colors, then grab some scissors and glue!
We have also done this with ribbon, pattern paper and yarn.
Be creative!

Indoor play: hopscotch inside (obstacle course, dance competition or Twister! …anything to get the wiggles out!)  A hopscotch can be made by outlining the shape and squares, on the floor with, masking/painting tape!

We made it fun by holding a competition!
Make it exciting…
1. count out loud, how long doest it take?
2. who threw the bean bag on the highest number?
3. who's hit the lowest number?
etc….winner choses next activity or gets first in line!

Science: (this one can be done outside if it's actually raining!)

This activity comes from the book 365 Science Experiments (Hinkler Books), again, and I do not have photo's to give you the visual.  I apologize.  However, the paper looks so beautiful when it's all dry, so many watercolors to gaze at.  Trust me on this one!

Outdoor play: Why don't you do what Elephant and Piggie did?  Make the most of the rain!  Take a nature walk, look at how bright the colors of the grass, flowers and even rocks are when it rains.  Splash in puddles, catch drops in your mouth….play!

Little Miss A and Miss K drawn to the colors of the flowers!
Each yard we passed involved a 'new' search for  even brighter flowers!

rocks are pretty!!!!  who knew???

Enjoying time with our kids is the greatest thing and a treasured blessing.  Memories don't take outstanding moments or great amounts of time…they just take a second.  Make those seconds good ones!!  Read, play, laugh and hug!

Peace and Rain!

Lisa