Magnetic tiles on the fence
Take your magnetic tiles outside and explore some new surfaces - do they stick or fall?
A super simple but fun way to give magnetic tiles a fresh twist—take them outside and see where they stick! A metal fence is perfect, but half the fun is testing different surfaces. Will they stay up on a wooden post? How about a brick wall? You can even bring a baking tray outside to create a movable magnetic play station.
If your little one loves building, encourage them to create tall towers, patterns, or even “windows” to peek through. And if you’re lucky enough to have a sunny day, keep...
Materials
Prep
Lay out some magnetic tiles in front of the chosen surface, and stick one or two up as a prompt.
Play
Step 1:
Let your little explore sticking some tiles up themselves. They'll most likely be fascinated about the new surface, and even moreso if this is your first time taking your tiles outside. If they're not getting involved, help them stick up the first few.
Step 2:
Make lines, patterns, or just freestyle it. Follow their lead. Let them explore sticking tiles on nearby surfaces, and narrate what's happening for some extra simple STEM learning & language development - E.g. "It's not sticking - is the brick wall magnetic? It's staying up - s the metal fence magnetic?"
Extend
Shadow play challenge: Position the tiles on the fence or a baking tray at different angles and observe the colourful shadows they create. Try layering tiles to mix colours or tracing the shadows with chalk on the ground!
Tile Toss Game: Place tiles at different heights on the fence and challenge your child to toss soft objects (like pom-poms or bean bags) to knock them down. A fun way to add movement and coordination practice!
Outdoor blueprint: Encourage your child to “design” a house, robot, or animal by arranging the tiles into different shapes. Take turns coming up with silly structures or even adding chalk-drawn details around them!
