Page 92: The benefits of outdoor learning ... how to make the most of your outdoor space
As a current EYFS teacher who LOVES their garden and promoting the use of outdoor space, some my say I am bias. Particularly in the summer term when the weather is glorious and all children want to be outside, we sun cream and sun hat up and take it all outdoors, from an enhanced role play area (we love washing and hanging out clothes - fantastic for fine motor) to creating a reading den. Outside learning is just as special in the winter and should be celebrated at all times. This week we had a fantastic interactions involved den building and a campfire. We focussed on developing propositional language and extending vocabulary and discussion. Crates, planks, leaves and a tarpaulin can take you anywhere!
Why is outdoor learning so important? Let's start by delving into some of the benefits of outdoor learning in the EYFS:
1. Children are supporting in developing an awareness of how to care for the world they live in.
2. Children are able to have the practical experience, hands on exploration in developing key life skills.
3. Teamwork and developing the ability to work alongside peers and negotiated is enhanced through completing tasks with larger equipment such as manoeuvring the crates and planks.
4. Sensorial opportunties are greatly enhance, particularly through touch and sound.
5. Children's observational and reasoning skills are developed.
Today I am going to share some of my favourite examples of how I have enhanced learning through facilitating this in our outdoor space.
- Developing an awareness of senses and using these in exploration. e.g., listening to environmental sounds such as the birds.
- Comparison walks. Taking a walk around the school grounds in Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer to support the children in seeing and understadning the changes between seasons.
- Developing practical life skills in become a citizen and member of their community. When learning about the life cycle of a flower, let's set up a garden and do this ourselves. Exploring and physical experience is much more beneficial than just observing and discussing pictures and videos!
- Making a highly engaging (and messy!) mud kitchen to motivate and encourage some inside reluctant role play area pupils into small world play. This can lead you anywhere. Another fantastic aspect of the mud kitchen is the ability to promote writing. E.g., writing a recipe alongside your creation!
- Development of gross motor skills to support writing can be easily and in a rather fun manner be facilitate outside! From completing obstacle courses, sit up, bridge, and skipping challenges, an outside space is great for providing these opportunities.
- Brain breaks! So so much research into supporting our learners not to become cognitively overloaded involves brain brekas! This are opportunities for our children to reset and get in the mindset ready to learn. Facilating your brain break outside such as an active game of Simon Says, to a stroll around the daily mile and some deep breathing, the benifits of being and the fresh air on children's faces is great!
- To promote a love of stories and reading for pleasure. I love reading and then re-telling key books with my pupils in our outdoor space. Some of our favourites include recreating our own 'deep dark woods' through a Gruffalo adventure and recreating 'We are going on a bear hunt' (a fantastic story for supporting the development of prepositional language).
If I had endless time, this particular post could ramble on for a while. Sharing so many wonderful outdoor learning ideas. Learning and sitting in the classroom is challenging for so many learners. Promoting and using an outdoor space continues to develop and evolve so many learning opportunties. My last point I would like to make is this is most definitely not EYFS inclusive. Outdoor learning should be and is most definitely beneficial for all children!
Miss Yeoman
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