Climbing and crawling outdoors

Caption: Climbing and crawling outdoors

Exploring the garden and all its inhabitants

Children exploring the Secret Garden behind Early Years

Planting and gardening activities

Caption: Planting and gardening activities

Toasting marshmallows during a camping activity

Caption: Toasting marshmallows during a camping activity

Outdoor play in the garden

Outdoor play is a vital part of children's development and through playing outside children can develop greater physical, social, sensory, language, mathematical and scientific skills. 

We include outdoor play in our daily planning ensuring that we offer a wide range of learning experiences. Every activity offered indoors should be adapted and offered outside, including sand and water play and arts and crafts. We encourage running, jumping, climbing and balancing on appropriate equipmet to promote physical development and good coordination. Such activities will also make children aware of the space around them and will encourage them to use space appropriately. 

Activities planned for outdoor play and education include planting and gardening, discussion of growing and living things, animals and birds that use our garden. The seasons of the year will be incorporated into outdoor play and there will be time for reflective and quiet play. 

We encourage children to be confident in the outdoor play area and believe that the children will set and discover their own boundaries in their own time. We plan for children's experiences in all weathers providing that the children are appropriately dressed and protected from the elements.