Windy day play ideas

We have had so many windy days lately and it’s far too easy to stay inside when the wind is blowing. Especially since trying to play outdoors in the wind can be so difficult when everything seems to blow away. The wind is no reason to stay inside, with a little extra thought and imagination you can have hours of fun playing out in the wind. Simple activities without resources work best on windy days so you can focus on having fun rather than chasing toys which blow away. I have come up with 5 activities you can do with children outside on a windy day.

Fly a Kite
An oldie but a goodie! Grab your kite and head out to the park. Make sure you have plenty of space and there are no power lines overhead. You could experiment with different types of kite to see which one works best or even have a go at making your own kites (using paper and string).
Running with the Wind
Does anyone remember running into the wind with your coat flying behind yours? Children love running around on a windy day – there’s something special about feeling the wind in your hair. Try running with a tarp (or sheet) above your head, what about some cardboard – Is it easier or more difficult using different materials? Experiment with running with the wind and running against the wind.
Ribbons
Ribbons and the wind go so well together. You could tie a ribbon to a tree and watch it dance in the wind. Try giving everyone their own length of ribbon to run around with (you could tie it around your wrist to stop it blowing away). Or you could create some ribbon wands by tying ribbons to a stick.
Experiment
There are so many experiments you can do using the wind. Try working out what objects will blow away. Take out a selection of lightweight and heavy objects and ask the children what they think will blow away. Place everything on the ground and begin your experiment. Make sure you do this in a contained space so things don’t blow away (be prepared to chase things around). Ask the children if they know which way the wind is blowing, discuss how they could work this out. Try blowing bubbles outside and see if they behave differently than they do on calm days. Can the wind blow bubbles? Try tying a tarp to the fence and see what happens to it.
Observe
The wind is often something we can feel rather than see. Think about how you could observe the wind and its impact on the environment. Watch the trees blow in the wind, lie down and watch the clouds move across the sky. Does the wind make any noise? Do the birds fly differently when it’s windy? If the wind has been strong recently look for any damage it’s caused. Have any chairs been blown over? Has a tree fallen down?

Top Tips

Remember it always feels colder in the wind so wrap up warm (and remember your hat).
If it’s really windy its best to leave most resources inside, or else you could spend most of your time chasing things down the street.
Observe weather warnings and advice. It’s exciting to go outdoors in severe weather but if warnings have been issued listen to the advice and stay indoors.
Stay away from the coast in high winds – it’s tempting to go and watch the waves in high winds but it’s best to avoid this as it can be very dangerous.

This is a re-blog post originally posted by Jennifer Brownlie @postivelyplay and published with kind permission. The article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2020 by the UKEd Editorial team in accordance with website and policy changes.