- Appropriate for 18 months to 4 years
- You will need: wooden or plastic animal toys to hide
Let’s be honest. Lockdown on these dark, winter days brings a whole new level of boredom. Parents everywhere are having to think creatively when it comes to activities, games and entertainment. Don’t let the cold weather put you off from getting outdoors, though. Whether you have a garden or not, this game doesn’t need any forward-thinking or prep. All you need is an outdoor space and a few wooden or plastic animals to hide. We’re a huge fan of the beautiful Lanka Kade animals, but any water-proof animals will do. Here’s how you play.
1. Ask your child to close their eyes while you take a few moments to hide the animals around the garden. I did this with woodland animals, as I was able to hide them in their ‘natural habitat’. For example, I hid the owl in a tree and the hedgehog in the brown leaves on the ground.
2. Next, look for the animals together. You can talk about what each animal likes, giving them the opportunity to learn about wildlife. We talked about the fact that deer are very shy and like to hide in the trees, whilst squirrels are quite cheeky and like to steal the nuts from the bird table.
3. Each time your child finds an animal, allow them to collect it themselves. Lift them up so they can stretch into those difficult to reach places. You could also ask them to place the animal in a bag or bucket.
Drop a comment below and let us know how you played or evolved this game. We love to hear (and pinch) all your ideas!
