Outdoor CPD: Part 4 - Parental consent

'Outdoors is safer’ is a phrase the Government has repeated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. But many factors traditionally encourage parents to keep children indoors. In 2018, Play Learning Life director Julie Mountain conducted a survey among parents that found one of their biggest apprehensions was children’s clothes becoming dirty. ‘Children are nervous about getting messy if they think they’re going to get in trouble with their parents,’ she says. This attitude can also exacerbate gender stereotypes. ‘You have parents sending in girls in ballet dresses – that little girl doesn’t want to get messy,’ she adds.

Ms Mountain says the answer is to invest in good-quality outdoor clothing such as waterproof salopettes that can go over shorts in summer or under coats in winter. Involving parents is another way to secure engagement. Although some settings may not currently allow parents on-site, Ms Mountain recommends holding open sessions to allow them to observe outdoor activities and explain the links to learning. ‘If they have a worry about climbing equipment, for example, they can watch how their children use it,’ she says. ‘Parents can see first hand this is how staff keep children safe. They suddenly see what you see – it’s not just playing.’