Outdoor Learning Training: Supporting Staff Outdoors in Early Years

Our Outdoor Learning Training: Supporting Staff Outdoors in Early Years is designed to help leaders and practitioners build confident, consistent, and skilled teams delivering high-quality outdoor learning. At The Muddy Puddle Teacher, we focus on developing staff understanding, practical skills, and confidence—so outdoor learning becomes purposeful, effective, and embedded in everyday practice.

What Is Outdoor Learning Training for Supporting Staff?

This outdoor learning training course focuses on how to support, guide, and develop staff working in outdoor environments within EYFS settings.

It’s not just about what children do outdoors—it’s about how adults facilitate learning, interact with children, and create meaningful experiences.

You’ll learn how to:

• Build staff confidence in delivering outdoor learning
• Ensure consistency in practice across your team
• Support high-quality interactions and teaching outdoors
• Create a shared understanding of expectations and outcomes
• Reveal more helpful tips and tricks in our Outdoor Learning Training Hub.

Why Supporting Staff Outdoors Matters

In early years, the quality of teaching and learning is directly linked to the confidence and skill of practitioners. Outdoors, this can often vary—some staff may feel less confident or unsure of their role.

This training helps to:

• Remove uncertainty around outdoor learning
• Develop a consistent approach across your setting
• Improve the quality of adult-child interactions
• Ensure outdoor provision is purposeful, not just free play

When staff feel confident, children benefit from richer, more meaningful learning experiences.

Building Staff Confidence in Outdoor Learning

A key focus of this training is helping staff feel comfortable and capable outdoors.

We support teams to:

• Understand their role in outdoor learning
• Move beyond supervision to active teaching
• Use the environment as a learning tool
• Feel confident managing behaviour and risk

We also introduce our soft resources toolkit—a set of simple, adaptable resources that help staff facilitate learning without overcomplicating activities or overwhelming children.

What You’ll Learn

This outdoor learning training course is practical, supportive, and designed for real settings:

🌿 Understanding the Role of Adults Outdoors

• What effective outdoor teaching looks like
• Balancing child-led play and adult interaction
• Knowing when to step in and when to step back

🌿 Developing Consistent Practice Across Teams

• Creating shared expectations
• Supporting staff with different confidence levels
• Embedding outdoor learning into daily routines

🌿 Using the Environment as a Teaching Tool

• Turning everyday outdoor spaces into learning opportunities
• Making learning visible and meaningful

🌿 Supporting Behaviour and Engagement Outdoors

• Strategies for managing behaviour in open environments
• Encouraging positive engagement and participation

🌿 Using the Soft Resources Toolkit

• Simple, low-demand resources to support staff delivery
• Helping practitioners feel confident leading activities
• Supporting inclusive practice for all learners

Who Is This Training For?

This course is ideal for:

• EYFS leads and managers
• Nursery and preschool staff
• Early years practitioners
• Teaching assistants
• Schools and settings developing outdoor provision

It is particularly valuable for settings where staff confidence outdoors varies.

Benefits of This Outdoor Learning Training

By the end of the course, your team will:

• Feel more confident delivering outdoor learning
• Have a clear understanding of their role outdoors
• Provide more consistent, high-quality practice
• Be able to support a wide range of learners
• Improve engagement, behaviour, and learning outcomes

Why Choose The Muddy Puddle Teacher?

We specialise in outdoor learning training for early years, offering:

• Practical, easy-to-implement strategies
• Support for whole staff teams
• A unique soft resources toolkit approach
• Training grounded in real experience

We help turn uncertainty into confidence—so your outdoor provision truly works.

Book Your Outdoor Learning Training Today

If you want to build a confident, consistent team delivering high-quality outdoor learning, this training is the perfect place to start.

Get in touch today to book your Outdoor Learning Training: Supporting Staff Outdoors in Early Years and strengthen your team’s practice.