Outdoor Learning

Outdoor Learning

Rousseau and Pestalozzi, inspired by the former, were precursor theorists on outdoor play by introducing and sustaining the original idea according to which nature and the natural environment had a definite and positive role in the education of children.

Learning in an outdoor environment allows children to interact with the elements around us and helps them to gain an understanding of the world we live in. They can experience animals in their own surroundings and learn about their habitats and lifecycles.

The EYFS statutory guidance states that children need to have a daily outdoor experience. ... Experiencing the outdoors also helps with all aspects of children's development. Whilst outdoors, children can play, explore and engage with the natural world. This gives children first-hand experience with changes in weather, seasons and nature.

Activities - The type of activities made possible outside therefore is bound to have huge benefits on children’s gross motor skills’ development and physical exercise. As well as free flow active play; there are a number of structured activities and movement games we organize in order to maximize outdoor play opportunities.

Outdoor play theorists Mc Millan and Isaacs appeared to have already known in their time why outdoor play was important and in particular the connections between physical activity and health. Mc Millan had already stressed the link between health and exercise and Isaacs provided for gross motor skills development in the garden attached to her school.