The Outdoor Classroom
Outdoor Games
Activities = ScienceLanguage Arts





Kooky butterfly races
pre K - 2
Challenge your students to an unusual set of races. (Hint: This race works best on a grassy field when it's been dry outside for a couple of days.)
  • An egg race (where children sit on the ground, grab knees to their chest, and roll to the finish line)
  • A butterfly race (children run to the finish line while flapping their arms up and down).

    • Butterfly life cycle par course
    pre K-3
    For Pre -K: Do this activity as a class (or in groups with 1 adult per group), going from station to station together and talking about what the signs say, and then acting it out).

    Set up a butterfly life cycle par course on the playground, where children perform specific tasks at each station. Label the course with signs indicating the station and the required activity. In addition, add a few "stay away" signs - "Careful, pesticides used here" and "Beware of birds" - to indicate dangers to butterflies.

    		Station #1 - "Sit and hatch":
    Sit like an egg
    illustration

    Station #2 - "Creep and crawl":

    Crawl like a caterpillar through a tunnel
    illustration

    Station #3 - "Just hanging around":

    Hang like a chrysalis from the monkey bars. Don't forget to shake to keep the predators away!
    illustration

    Station #4 - "Butterfly refreshments":

    Fly like a butterfly to the flower and nectar station.
    illustration

    Unit 5

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