Summer Support for Early Years Readiness
Active Outdoor Adventures
- Nature Sound Safari: sit outside silently for 10–15 minutes. Write or draw every sound you hear—birdsong, wind, traffic, dogs, laughter. Then guess what made each sound.
- Create a Backyard Race-Car Track: use chalk or painter’s tape to draw race tracks for toy cars on sidewalks, patios, or decks. Add obstacles, loops, and ramps with outdoor objects.
- Outdoor Balloon Blow Race: set up a start and finish line. Blow a balloon and see if you can move it across the course using only your breath—army crawling encouraged!
- Puppet Show in the Shade: make stick puppets, set up a cardboard puppet theater outside, and put on a silly story show for your neighbors or stuffed animals.
- Build a Fable Fort Outdoors: use lawn chairs, beach towels, and clothespins to build a shady fort. Bring books, snacks, and your imagination. Stay for hours and invent stories.
Outdoor Creativity
- Chalk a Giant Map: draw a map of your neighborhood or dream world with sidewalk chalk. Include roads, rivers, shops, and homes.
- Still Life in the Sun: bring a favorite toy, book, and special item outside. Set them up on a sunny table and draw or paint them. Try different “famous artist” styles (like Picasso or Van Gogh).
- Nature Sculpture Challenge: collect leaves, pebbles, sticks, petals, and pinecones. Use them to make an art piece or build a sculpture in your yard or a park.
- Water Painting: use a bucket of water and big brushes to "paint" fences, sidewalks, trees, or walls. It disappears fast—so work quickly!
- LEGO Outside Challenge: take your LEGO bricks outside and try to build things inspired by what you see around you—trees, birds, bugs, etc.
Curious Explorer Missions
- Shadow Explorer: at different times of day, trace your shadow (or a friend’s) on the pavement with chalk. How does it change? Why?
- MiniBeast Hunt: use a magnifying glass to search your yard or local park for ants, beetles, butterflies, or spiders. Draw what you find and research their names later.
- Outdoor Morse Code: learn Morse code and tap messages to someone using sticks or pebbles—or try clapping or blinking. It's a great sibling activity!
- Backyard Obstacle Course: use pool noodles, hula hoops, boxes, or cones to make a timed obstacle course. Include jumping, crawling, and balancing challenges!
- Scavenger Hunt with a Twist: make a list of 10 things to find in nature (something rough, red, shaped like a heart…). Snap photos of each one as you find them.
Storytelling & Play Outdoors
- Joke Jam in the Garden: learn three new jokes and tell them to neighbors, pets, or garden gnomes. Rate them on a “giggle scale” from 1 to 10.
- Magic Trick on the Lawn: practice a magic trick outside, then gather your “audience” and perform it under the big top (aka picnic blanket).
- Outdoor Freeze Dance: play your favorite songs outside and dance your heart out—freeze when the music stops! Add challenges like “freeze like a flamingo” or “freeze with one hand up.”
Connect & Reflect Outside
- Interview a Family Member: bring a notebook outside and ask an older relative fun questions. What did they love doing in summer when they were your age?
- Sunset Gratitude Moments: at the end of each summer day, sit outside and name one thing you loved about the day. Draw or journal it, or just say it out loud with your family.
Feel free to share your photos, creations, or memories with us at this address schooloffice@marymount.fr we’d love to see them!
Social & Emotional recommendations provided by Jimmy Baldwin our Wellness Director who can be reached at : jbaldwin@marymount.fr
We are here to support your child’s transition to school !
If you have any questions or concerns about Early Years readiness, please contact our Early Years Team Leader, Mrs. Mary Laverty: mlaverty@marymount.fr, and our School Principal, Mr. Eoghan Beardmore: ebeardmore@marymount.fr.
Please be sure to check your child’s OpenApply checklist for important documents to be completed before the first day of school.
