A Penny for Your Walk
My mother-in-law never runs dry of fun ideas for things to do with Laurel, and during a recent visit, she came up with a brilliant way to get my little homebody outside. She proposed a "penny walk" (apparently something she had learned at camp as a child), where you take a penny and at every corner, flip the coin to decide whether to go straight or take a turn (if at an intersection you could opt for left or right). Laurel was so excited about this idea and before they departed, she decided to also turn the walk into a nature scavenger hunt and constructed the below tally chart (click image below to enlarge). It's a lovely activity when it's nice out, but also would be fun in the rain this week -- no doubt accompanied by a little puddle jumping.
What a fun way to get your kids outside and also work in some lessons about nature observation, counting, and probability, no?
Image credit (of penny): Wikipedia
Comments
What an inspired idea!!!! My girls will LOVE this!!!!! And the drawing is adorable! My girls will be all over that too. Thanks!
Posted by: Emily McKhann | May 18, 2011 8:59 AM | Reply to this comment
What a clever idea and pretty much guarantees no two walks will be the same. Love it!
Posted by: kim/hormone-colored days | May 18, 2011 9:16 AM | Reply to this comment
LOVE this! Can't wait to use it with my nieces.
Posted by: M. Aguilar | May 18, 2011 10:31 AM | Reply to this comment
What a wonderful yet simple idea. My oldest is into games of chance/flipping coins, so this is perfect. Can't wait to try this with my kids. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Sharon (umommy) | May 18, 2011 10:57 AM | Reply to this comment
Awesome idea! I love it, and your daughter's observations too.
Posted by: Holly | May 18, 2011 11:38 AM | Reply to this comment
We recently took a walk with my 2-year old who had just learned, "this way" and "that way". She determined where we went when we got to interesections by giving us directions from her stroller. We actually ended up at a playground!
Posted by: Annie H | May 18, 2011 2:39 PM | Reply to this comment