What are your 'staples' for outside?

[Inspired by Reggio]

....Why...oh WHY do they just stand there looking bored?? Am I missing something? ...

Tips? Advice?

You are not missing anything - that is lots of option out there for them.

Sometimes less is 'more' with some kids - if there are too many choices they do not know what to do or where to start so they just 'stand there'.

When I worked in centre care one of the things we use to do with kids like that was as we were heading from the transition of inside to outside we were make them choose where they were going to go before they got out there ... this helped prevent the kids who all like to run to get to the swings for example know before they got out there it was not their turn cause Sally and Bobby already picked swings so they had a 'game plan' to prevent that blow out when they get there thinking they are first and it helped the 'lost' kid to have some direction ... you could try something like that.

When all else fails - there is nothing wrong with just standing there - do not give it power by worrying or doing a dance of do you want this or that or trying to entertain them cause then they will play into that ... IMO kids need to learn to play and use their imaginations and so forth - honestly my crew sometimes has the most fun at the park in the mornings with no 'toys' just their imagination and whatever they find from nature and honestly some afternoons NOTHING comes out of the shed - they just play outside with the staples that are in the yard everyday.