Outdoor spaces in early childhood education

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Outdoor spaces in early childhood education

HomeEarly childhood education resourcesOutdoor spaces in early childhood education

Topic summary

The provision of outdoor spaces in early childhood education supports a range of important learning and wellbeing outcomes.

The unique characteristics and stimuli of the outdoor environment provide a wealth of opportunities for play involving open-ended interactions, spontaneity, exploration, discovery, risk-taking, and imagination. Outdoor spaces also allow children to connect with, learn about and start to take responsibility for nature and the environment. 

Spending time outdoors provides a wide range of play opportunities that cannot be replicated indoors, particularly for risky play, as well as an authentic context for children to learn about the world and their place within it. In outdoor settings, children generally move more, sit less and engage in play for more sustained periods. Green spaces also have positive effects on the physical and mental health of both children and adults. Contact with nature is associated with self-regulation, and physical activity in natural settings greatly improves self-esteem and positive emotions and behaviours.

Research has identified seven characteristics that exemplify outdoor environments that best support children’s exploration, play and learning in early childhood education settings: character, context, connectivity, change, chance, clarity and challenge. Thinking about the design and set-up of outdoor spaces in ECE in terms of these factors will ensure that these spaces richly serve children’s learning and wellbeing needs.

Reflecting on resource allocation and use, time spent engaging with nature, ease of access to outdoor and natural spaces, and the role of adults in outdoor spaces can provide a rich source information about the learning potential of the environment as well as children’s interests and capacities. 

  • How do the physical features and characteristics of our outdoor environment influence children’s engagement in sustained, meaningful outdoor play experiences?
  • How can our outdoor spaces be differentiated to serve the changing needs of children as they grow and develop?
  • How can we resource our outdoor spaces to provide a wide range of opportunities for open-ended, exploratory play?
  • How can we provide further opportunities for children to spend time in outdoor environments by exploring our local neighbourhood?

Research reviews

Curriculum and pedagogy in the outdoors

Outdoor spaces and the many types of learning through play they support.

Promoting children’s risky play in outdoor learning environments

The characteristics and benefits of risky play, and how to design spaces and programmes to promote it.

Outdoor learning environments in early childhood education

Designing outdoor spaces in early childhood education that support children’s opportunities to learn and develop through many kinds of outdoor play.

Webinars

Outdoor environments for children’s wellbeing and learning

This webinar, presented by Dr Helen Little, explores how affordances in the outdoor environment promote children’s wellbeing and learning.

The importance of outdoor play in early childhood education

A discussion on the importance of outdoor play for children's development and how to design outdoor spaces.

Infographics

Snapshots

The intentional design of outdoor spaces

How one centre approached the design of their outside spaces.

Key ideas for facilitating children’s outdoor play and learning

The main insights from our webinar with Dr Helen Little on the affordances of outdoor spaces for children’s learning and development.

The power of outdoor play for children

Why outdoor play is so beneficial for children and how to incorporate risky play in early childhood education.
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