Rake the Leaves
What you need
- a child's rake, or a soft garden broom
- a patch of dry leaves on the grass or patio
- a garden bag or a big cardboard box for the leaves
How to do it
- Walk round the garden together first and decide which patch of leaves needs clearing, and where the pile should go.
- Show your child how to pull the rake towards them in long, slow strokes, then let them work along the edge of the patch. Hands are the right tool for the leaves stuck in corners.
- When the pile is big, let them jump into it once, then rake it back together.
- Scoop the leaves into the bag with your hands, a big armful each, until the patch is clear.
Why it matters
Raking is proper work with a result they can see at the end: a clear patch of grass, uncovered with long pulls that use the whole body.
What they're learning
- Pulling strokes
- Long, slow pulls with the rake, towards their feet.
- Seeing a job through
- Working on until the patch is clear.
- Big and small piles
- Looking at two piles and saying which has more.
What to look for
Notice them going back over a bit they missed without being asked.
A tip
Check the leaves for sticks, prickles and anything a dog left behind before anyone jumps in, and lay the rake down teeth first when it's not in use.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: rake a small patch inside a ring of sticks
Harder: make two piles, one of big leaves and one of small, and decide which pile is bigger at the end
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Everyday helper activities · Toddler activities with a cardboard box