Top 7 Muddy Elf Tips

The Muddy Elf is the new way to inspire outdoor learning, imagination and love for their world. 

Get outside, get muddy and play!

To get the Muddy Elf pack sign up 14 days FREE here. 

The Muddy Elf can be used alongside similar and popular Elves such as Elf on the Shelf but instead of doing your typical tasks that involve the children indoors using plastic goods, take it outside and go natural. 

Children embrace outdoor learning because it makes them feel good, it makes the educator feel good too. 

To get the Muddy Elf pack sign up 14 days FREE here. 

Why? 

Because going out of the classroom is a change it makes you feel as if going into a different space.  Being in one place all of the time can be frustrating for most humans.  Changing your scenery makes for a change and by going outside and being with nature it wakes us up, engages us and makes us connect more with one another. 

Here are some top Muddy Elf Tips! 

1. Let the children find your Muddy Elf outside every day. 
2. Make sure your elf only gets up to mischief with natural and upcylced resources – if he is outside he is nature loving and we want him to be a green ambassador for our children. 
3. Give challenges for the children to then do once outside.  Give him a slip of paper in his hand that will set them an outdoor challenge. 
4. Make the challenges active so the children receive lots of physical benefits. 
5. Remind the children as you go along of looking after nature and respecting it. 
6. Make activities a bonding opportunity and ask the children to work in pairs or groups. 
7. Adults have to join in too, part of the fun for the children to see you let your hair down too! 

To get the Muddy Elf pack sign up 14 days FREE here. 

Here are 3 top outdoor learning ideas to get you started :

1. Make sure the children have the right clothing – bring a muddy bag in or dress for mud that day!
2. Make it messy and muddy – why not you are outside!
3. Stick to natural resources – less clearing up for you and more kind to the environment.

Our muddy resources support all curriculums and we use only natural resources so any school, anywhere can use our approach. Including Early Years Framework, NC, CfE, American Curriculums.

Looking for a group subscription? We offer big reductions for schools and nurseries that book in groups. The more staff the more the discount per person. Click here for a quote.

Outdoor learning in primary schools is an essential way to bring wellbeing to the classroom.

Here are some muddy top tips to make a start in each key stage.

• Outdoor Learning KS2 – Try taking 10-minute slots or brain breaks in between sessions. Do the Muddy Walk and Talk and just use it for general discussion or chat.
• Outdoor Learning KS1 – Try taking phonics games outside. Choose a sound and use leaves
• Outdoor Learning EYFS – If you can make sure there is an outside space that is accessible and start to reduce the plastic and have more natural objects. Such as leaves they can write on, stones to do art with. Strip back the made plastic objects and keep natural for optimum imagination and creative skills to be used.
• Outdoor Learning KS2 – Try taking 10-minute slots or brain breaks in between sessions. Do the Muddy Walk and Talk and just use it for general discussion or chat.
• Outdoor Learning KS1 – Try taking phonics games outside. Choose a sound and use leaves
• Outdoor Learning EYFS – If you can make sure there is an outside space that is accessible and start to reduce the plastic and have more natural objects. Such as leaves they can write on, stones to do art with. Strip back the made plastic objects and keep natural for optimum imagination and creative skills to be used.

For more outdoor learning ideas for primary schools, sign up for FREE! If it is active learning you are looking for try GoNoodle a great way to get kids moving inside the class.

Watch the MPT safety videos to help you practice the best outdoor learning methods. These videos are also useful for those practising forest school.

Search for more outdoor learning resources : Babies (0-2) | Tots (2-4) | EYFS (4-5) | KS1(5-7) | LKS2( 7-9) | UKS2 (9-11) | Special Needs

For Training head to: Accredited Training | Short Certificate Courses

Have you also checked: Outdoor Ebooks | Assembly Packs | Home Learning Packs | Safety Support | Special Outdoor Events

• Support Outdoor Learning charities and head to Learning through Landscapes who can help with free outdoor learning ideas.
• Institute for Outdoor Learning are also a fabulous charity to refer to if you want to gather ideas for outdoor learning training and organisations.

Look out for Green Flag Award to promote outdoor learning in primary schools through the muddy puddles approach.