EYFS Outdoor Learning Activities for Early Years
Let’s Play Outdoors!
Outdoor learning in EYFS plays a vital role in supporting children’s development across all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage. By taking learning outside, practitioners can create rich, engaging experiences that promote curiosity, independence and a love of learning from an early age. This page is designed to support you with practical outdoor learning ideas for EYFS, along with resources and guidance to help you build a strong outdoor provision.
In the early years, children learn best through play, exploration and active engagement. Outdoor learning provides the perfect environment for this, offering space, freedom and opportunities that are often not possible indoors. Whether it’s building, digging, climbing, or investigating nature, outdoor experiences allow children to develop key skills in a natural and meaningful way.
Outdoor learning in EYFS supports all seven areas of learning. For example, communication and language can be developed through collaborative play and storytelling outdoors. Physical development is enhanced through activities such as climbing, balancing and using large equipment. Personal, social and emotional development is strengthened as children work together, solve problems and build confidence in new environments.
Literacy and maths can also be easily integrated into outdoor learning. Children can practise mark-making using chalk, water or mud, and develop early writing skills in a low-pressure, creative way. Maths can be explored through counting natural objects, comparing sizes, and solving real-life problems such as building structures or measuring materials.
A well-planned outdoor environment is key to successful EYFS outdoor learning. This doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. Simple enhancements such as adding loose parts, natural materials and open-ended resources can transform your outdoor space into a rich learning environment. The focus should be on creating opportunities for exploration rather than directing every activity.
Outdoor learning also supports children’s well-being. Being outside has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood and increase engagement. For many children, the outdoor environment provides a sense of freedom and calm that helps them to regulate emotions and build resilience.
On this page, you’ll find a range of outdoor learning EYFS activities, ideas and resources to support your teaching. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your continuous provision or structured activities to meet specific learning objectives, these resources will help you deliver high-quality outdoor learning experiences.
Outdoor Learning in EYFS
Outdoor learning provides children with opportunities to explore, investigate and take risks in a safe and supportive environment. It encourages curiosity, independence and confidence, while supporting all areas of learning. Is messy play your thing? Get help in aiding others to the importance of messy play with this guidebook.
By using the outdoor environment effectively, practitioners can create rich learning experiences that build on children’s interests and natural curiosity.
Outdoor Road Signs for Bikes
Early Years Outdoors Continuous Provision Add purpose, safety, and meaningful learning to your bike area with our Outdoor Road Signs for Bikes, designed specifically for early years outdoors continuous provision. These child-friendly road signs transform everyday bike...
Outdoor Creative Area : Winter Animals Theme (Early Years Outdoors)
Early Years Outdoors Learning Resource Support meaningful early years outdoors learning with our Outdoor Creative Area: Winter Animals Theme — a carefully designed resource that brings creativity, nature, and seasonal understanding together in an outdoor environment....
Arctic Animal Flash Cards
Bring the frozen world of the Arctic into your learning environment with our Arctic Animal Flash Cards, specially designed for Early Years and EYFS settings. These engaging, child-friendly flash cards support vocabulary development, curiosity, and discussion, making...
Outdoor Actvities in Maths
Outdoor maths activities help children develop early number skills through practical, hands-on experiences. Using natural materials and open-ended resources allows children to explore counting, number recognition and simple problem-solving. Are you unsure what to do on rainy days? No problem, we are the experts. Explore our Rainy Day Handbook.
These activities are ideal for developing mathematical understanding in a fun and engaging way. Explore our top 10 Maths ideas for EYFS.
Explore EYFS outdoor maths activities here:
Outdoor EBook Scavenger Hunt (Maths- Numbers to 20)
🌿 Outdoor Counting in 10s and 5s EYFS Activity Make early maths active and engaging with our Outdoor EBook: Counting in 10s & 5s. This simple, fun activity helps children practise counting using a mastery approach—while learning outside. All you need is a device...
Outdoor EBook Counting in 10s & 5s (Board Game)
🌿 Outdoor Counting in 10s and 5s EYFS Activity Make early maths active and engaging with our Outdoor EBook: Counting in 10s & 5s. This simple, fun activity helps children practise counting using a mastery approach—while learning outside. All you need is a device...
Outdoor Phonics & Literacy EYFS
Taking phonics and literacy outdoors can have a huge impact on engagement and confidence. Children can explore sounds, letters and storytelling through active, play-based learning. We have been leading in the Outdoor Learning field for over 9 years – head to our expert teacher- led Lesson Ideas Pack for more support.
Outdoor environments provide the perfect space for mark-making, early writing and language development.
Explore EYFS phonics and literacy activities here:
Early Years Signs of Spring
Early Years Signs of Spring In a nutshell: Want some fresh ideas on how to take Signs of Spring outside the muddy way? This pack will give you plenty of new ways to get outside using only natural and upcycled items. How will I receive the resource? Once you have...
Outdoor Learning Comprehension: Fred the Lonely Cloud (eBook)
eBook Fred the Lonely Cloud PSHE : Outdoor Learning Comprehension Use eBook Fred the Lonely Cloud PSHE to help your class learn what it is like to be a good friend and to selflessly cheer others up Like our Muddy ideas? Spread the word and check out our ideas in...
Outdoor eBook -KS1 Comprehension Florence
Outdoor eBook -KS1 Comprehension Florence Use KS1 Comprehension Florence eBooks to take comprehension outside making cross-curricula links to animals and their habitats. Like our Muddy ideas? Spread the word and check out our ideas in action on our YouTube channel!...
Outdoor Understanding of the World
Class Weather Chart (Daily)
Use this handy Class Weather Chart to record the weather daily but also find time to reflect on why weather happens and how we can predict it. Choose a Class Weather Monitor each week, laminate and reuse it over and over again.
Bugs (Mini beasts) Mindfulness Colour In
The Benefits of Mindfulness Colouring Sheets for Children In an increasingly fast-paced and digitally-driven world, finding ways to help children relax and focus can be challenging. One effective method that has gained popularity is the use of mindfulness colouring...
Plants Mindfulness Colouring In
Use Plants Mindfulness Colouring In as part of your Science learning or as a brain break to help children be mindful of nature and to appreciate all it gives us. Maybe pair this up with some outdoor learning?
Outdoor Physical Development Play Ideas
Outdoor learning naturally supports physical development, allowing children to build strength, coordination and confidence through active play.
Climbing, balancing, running and exploring all contribute to gross motor development in a meaningful way.
Explore physical development activities here:
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Outdoor Understanding the World Activities
Outdoor maths activities help children develop early number skills through practical, hands-on experiences. Using natural materials and open-ended resources allows children to explore counting, number recognition and simple problem-solving.
These activities are ideal for developing mathematical understanding in a fun and engaging way.
Explore EYFS outdoor maths activities here:
Pond Dipping (KS1)
What does this resource include? 3 x Activity Sheets for Pond Dipping How can I use this resource? Use it as a daily challenge or to link into KS1 Science How can a more active curriculum support the Neurodiverse? Read this article to discover more about the...
Nature Easter Eggs Template
Use Nature Easter Eggs to enhance your outdoor learning, find more outdoor learning resources under your year group using the menu above.
Forest School Rules Poster
We make Forest Schools easier for you by doing all the work for you so you can make more of the FUN! Use this poster in your area to illustrate the safety rules for good forest school practice.
Seasonal EYFS Outdoor Lesson Ideas
Seasonal activities help children connect with nature and experience changes throughout the year.
Autumn Activities
Explore leaves, colours and natural materials through creative and sensory play. Browse here
Winter Activities
Encourage exploration and problem-solving in colder weather. Browse here
Spring Activities
Discover growth, change and new life through outdoor exploration.Browse here
Summer Activities
Take advantage of warmer weather with active, hands-on learning. Browse here
Forest School in EYFS
Forest school approaches are particularly effective in EYFS, allowing children to lead their own learning and explore at their own pace.
These activities focus on building confidence, independence and a connection with nature through regular outdoor experiences. We have some very experienced and knowledgeable teacher-created handbooks to help you navigate Forest School in early years here.
Explore EYFS forest school activities here:
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Outdoor Continuous Provision and Outdoor Play
Looking for ready-made activities and lesson plans?
Our EYFS outdoor learning resources are designed to save you time and provide engaging, curriculum-linked ideas that are ready to use.
Browse EYFS outdoor learning resources here:
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Outdoor Learning & Outdoor Play Training
If you’re looking to develop your confidence in delivering outdoor learning in EYFS, explore our training courses designed for early years practitioners.
View EYFS outdoor learning training here:
Outdoor Learning Risk Benefit
Use Muddy Risk Benefit as part of your accredited training tasks. Use this as a sample to show the risks and benefits to those risks.
Muddy Puddle Teacher Handbook
Use Muddy School Policies as part of evidence for the accredited stage one process of the training. This policy will help you develop good standards and practice to our approach.
The Great Muddy Audit
The Great Muddy Audit is for those engaged with stage one of the MPT accredited training. It allows trainees to reflect on their training and make the most of their outdoor spaces.