It is hardly worth asking why the outdoors matters to young children: you may as well wonder why water matters to a fish. There is nothing more evocative of early childhood than having the freedom to enjoy movement and the pleasure of experiencing the sun, wind, rain and snow.
My experience of working in inner-city nurseries has also convinced me that children need gardens, not just playgrounds. Children benefit hugely from taking part in gardening, putting their fingers in soil, running and sitting on grass, splashing in puddles and messing about with mud.
PLANNING THE OUTDOORS
The news of additional funding for outdoor play in the Early Years Foundation Stage is very welcome, but it will not benefit children in the long term if it is spent quickly on large items of equipment that may overcrowd and even worsen the quality of the environment.
Instead of rushing to spend the money, consider the environment before introducing any changes:
- Walk round the area and make a note of how you feel. Which areas feel peaceful? Where do you like to be? What is appealing and what looks ugly?
- Observe the expressions and body language of staff outside. Do adults look like they are enjoying themselves, or does it seem to be a chore to be outside? Given the choice, would any staff spend time outside rather than inside?
- More importantly, observe how the children are. Are some areas used heavily, while others are empty? How do they respond to the different opportunities on offer? Think about the movements a young child might make - what is there room for, and what is lacking?
- Involving the children is also fascinating. You could ask them to take pictures of areas they like and don't like in the nursery, and in local parks and playgrounds.
CLIMBING EQUIPMENT
Children need opportunities to climb, balance and swing, but there are dilemmas to confront. Big fixed structures are expensive and can take up too much space, whereas smaller mobile structures can mean staff have to do a lot of lifting and carrying to set up and tidy away.
Unless you have a lot of space and money, I would advise against a large climbing frame. It is much better to have a simple fixed frame or structure that you can clip ropes, planks or other items to. Similarly, a climbing structure in a particular shape will have limited value - the children will quickly get bored with a space rocket or a boat. But if they can use their imagination to transform bits of attached fabric into sails and wooden blocks into seats and control panels, then the climbing equipment can be reinvented by the hour.
If you have an available brick or other solid wall, a climbing wall can be a good way of providing a difficult challenge. In all cases, climbing equipment must be carefully designed and positioned, and will need an appropriate safety surface beneath it to minimise the risks of serious head injuries. Your local authority can put you in touch with an appropriate specialist.
WHEELED TOYS
Before buying wheeled toys, think about whether you have enough space for them. If you already have them, it is worth reflecting on their benefits and drawbacks.
At Kate Greenaway, we noticed that big metal trikes thundered through the garden and alarmed - or even knocked over - smaller and less-confident children.
We also observed that two-seater trikes did not promote much social interaction beyond the initial negotiation needed to get on. For these reasons, we decided first to phase out the big two-seaters, and eventually all the metal trikes.
We have replaced them with wooden two-wheeled LikeABikes, which promote balance and strength, and do not dominate the space.
SAND AND WATER
These are two basic materials which can provide a great deal of enjoyment, as well as opportunities for scientific learning. Sandpits are best if they have drainage, so that when you add water you are not left with a stinking black and brown sludge at the bottom. Water can be offered to children in dynamic ways - an outdoor tap and buckets to fill, a hose and gutters - rather than being contained in a plastic box, like it is inside.
GARDENING
Even a very small outdoor area will have space for a small planting box or hanging baskets. Bigger spaces might be suitable for large wooden raised beds, which work well because they protect the plants from being trodden on, ridden over or pulled out.
Children will need proper tools if they are going to garden. For a simple test, try digging the earth with the tools you provide. If you can't manage it easily, then imagine how frustrating it will be for the children.
Gardening and digging with proper tools will require children to be able to follow adult instructions, as well as learning by observing what adults do.
Provide an area where children can dig holes, slosh in water and create muddy craters. It is also worth having waterproof clothing and Wellington boots for both children and adults.
MANAGING THE OUTDOORS
Children should be free to go in and out when they want to. That way you can avoid the pushing to be first out that follows the announcement of 'playtime'. It is important to offer a broad and balanced curriculum, so think about how to offer experiences that feel like outdoor learning.
Sharing a story on the grass under a tree is enjoyable; writing on a table with little bits of paper flying in the wind or building with Duplo on a bumpy picnic mat is not. Instead, offer early writing experiences with clipboards, or a large blackboard, and offer larger-scale construction experiences with wooden hollow blocks or real bricks with towels and wet sand.
The best outdoor learning reflects real activities that children see around them in the street, park and garden: it just feels right for the outdoors.
Julian Grenier is head of Kate Greenaway Nursery School and Children's Centre
BEST BUY
LikeABikes promote balance and strength and do not dominate the outdoor space available to nurseries. Most of the products are wooden. For more information on the full range, visit: www.likeabike.co.uk
MORE INFORMATION
- There is brief but useful guidance on outdoor learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/eyfs/resources/downloads/3_3b_ep.pdf)
- The Great Outdoors: Developing children's learning through outdoor provision by Margaret Edgington, British Association for Early Childhood Education, London
- There is excellent guidance on design (both indoors and outdoors) at: www.surestart.gov.uk/_doc/P0000951.pdf
- Enabling Outdoor Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage in Cornwall by Wendy Titman, Wendy Titman Associates (www.amazon.co.uk)
