Help children communicate what they need to feel safe, confident and successful outdoors
The Outdoor Me Passport is a practical transition activity designed to help schools understand how individual SEND learners experience outdoor spaces, outdoor learning and play.
Every child experiences the outdoors differently.
For some children, being outside can feel freeing, calming and exciting.
For others, it can bring additional challenges involving:
- noise
- unpredictable movement
- weather
- clothing
- sensory experiences
- social interaction
- transitions
- physical confidence
- communication
- unfamiliar spaces
- changes in routine
The Outdoor Me Passport helps practitioners gather the information that really matters before expecting a child to participate.
Rather than asking:
“Why won’t this child join in?”
we can begin asking:
“What does this child need in order to participate?”
To access these resources, you need to sign up for a Silver Membership.
For specific guidance on supporting neurodivergence outdoors, explore The Complete Guide to Supporting SEND Outdoors.
For more bespoke SEND training, head to the Outdoor SEND Training Hub.
What is an Outdoor Me Passport?
An Outdoor Me Passport is a child-centred record of how a learner experiences outdoor environments.
It helps adults understand:
- what the child enjoys outdoors
- what they avoid
- what makes them feel safe
- what may cause distress
- how they communicate
- how they regulate
- what sensory experiences they seek
- what sensory experiences they avoid
- how independent they currently feel
- what adjustments might help them participate
- what adults should know before taking learning outside
The passport can move with the child between classes, year groups, teachers, settings or provisions.
This makes it particularly useful during transition periods.
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Why use an Outdoor Me Passport for SEND?
Children with SEND should not have to start from the beginning every time they meet a new adult.
Important knowledge about a child’s needs can easily become lost during transition.
A new teacher may know that a child has SEND.
They may know a diagnosis.
They may know provision listed on a support plan.
But they may not know:
“They hate wet sleeves.”
“They regulate by carrying heavy objects.”
“They become overwhelmed when everyone runs outside together.”
“They love collecting stones and this can help them engage.”
“They need to see where the activity is happening before joining in.”
These small pieces of information can make an enormous difference.
The Outdoor Me Passport helps make these details visible.
Outdoor transition should be planned too
Transition support often focuses heavily on the classroom.
Children may visit:
- their new classroom
- their new seat
- the toilets
- their new teacher
- their new timetable
But how often do we intentionally introduce them to the outdoor environment?
For some SEND learners, the playground or outdoor learning space can be one of the least predictable areas of school.
It may be:
- noisier
- busier
- less structured
- more socially demanding
- physically challenging
- exposed to changing weather
- full of different sensory experiences
Outdoor transition deserves the same thoughtful preparation as indoor transition.
Explore the outdoor space together
Use the Outdoor Me Passport alongside a relaxed visit to the outdoor environment.
Walk around with the child.
Do not immediately turn it into a formal assessment.
Observe.
Talk.
Play.
Explore.
You might investigate:
- quiet spaces
- busy spaces
- sheltered areas
- open areas
- grass
- concrete
- mud
- climbing areas
- loose parts
- natural resources
- seating areas
- entrances and exits
Notice what the child moves towards.
Notice what they move away from.
Notice when their communication changes.
Notice when their body appears relaxed or tense.
These observations can tell us far more than simply asking, “Do you like being outside?”
What should be included in an Outdoor Me Passport?
Your passport might include sections such as:
Things I love outdoors
Encourage the child to identify activities or experiences they enjoy.
This might include:
- digging
- collecting
- climbing
- running
- building
- water
- mud
- chalk
- nature
- carrying
- creating
- quiet spaces
- being with friends
- being alone
- using hoops or ropes
- making with clay
Things I find difficult outdoors
Children may find it easier to communicate through photographs, symbols, objects or choices rather than direct questioning.
Possible difficulties could include:
- loud noises
- crowds
- rain
- wind
- cold
- heat
- wet clothes
- dirty hands
- insects
- mud
- uneven ground
- waiting
- sharing
- unpredictable games
- transitions
- being touched
- large groups
Avoid assuming that what seems minor to an adult is minor to the child.
What helps me feel safe?
This is one of the most important parts of the passport.
Possible support strategies might include:
- being shown the area first
- going outside before the rest of the group
- having a familiar adult nearby
- access to gloves
- access to waterproof clothing
- knowing when the activity will finish
- using a visual sequence
- staying near a boundary
- starting with a small group
- having a quiet area
- carrying a familiar object
- having an agreed regulation strategy
- knowing where they can go if overwhelmed
The aim is not to remove every challenge.
The aim is to identify the adjustments that make participation possible.
How I communicate outdoors
Communication can change when children are outside.
A child who communicates confidently in a quiet classroom may communicate differently when faced with:
- wind
- traffic
- large groups
- movement
- echoing playgrounds
- sensory distractions
Record what adults should look for.
For example:
- signs that mean “stop”
- signs that mean “I need help”
- how the child shows anxiety
- how the child indicates they need space
- whether they use symbols
- whether they need processing time
- whether fewer spoken instructions help
This information can be incredibly useful for new staff members.
Support communication outdoors with these quick and simple activities:
What helps me regulate?
The outdoors can provide wonderful opportunities for regulation.
Children may benefit from:
- pushing
- pulling
- carrying
- digging
- swinging
- climbing
- walking
- collecting
- repetitive movement
- quiet nature observation
- heavy work
- sensory exploration
Use the passport to identify strategies that work for the individual child.
For example:
“Carrying the bucket helps me settle.”
“I like walking around the edge before joining in.”
“I need five minutes in the quiet area.”
These are practical pieces of information that adults can use immediately.
What resources work well for me?
At The Muddy Puddle Teacher®, we encourage schools to use simple, adaptable resources.
You might explore how the child responds to:
- hoops
- ropes
- bamboo sticks
- cones
- chalk
- clay
- pebbles
- leaves
- sticks
- logs
- sand
- water
- large loose parts
Some children may engage deeply with particular materials.
Others may find certain textures or sensations difficult.
Record both.
Involve the child wherever possible
The Outdoor Me Passport should be created with the child, not simply written about them.
Depending on the learner, this could involve:
- talking
- pointing
- photographs
- symbols
- drawing
- choosing between objects
- taking photographs themselves
- thumbs up/thumbs down
- observation
- communication devices
- modelling activities
- play
A child’s contribution does not have to look like a written questionnaire.
Find the communication method that works for them.
Invite parents and carers to contribute
Parents and carers often hold valuable knowledge about how their child experiences outdoor environments.
If families are happy to be involved, invite them to share their views.
You might ask:
- What does your child enjoy doing outdoors at home?
- Are there outdoor experiences they avoid?
- How do they respond to different weather?
- Are there particular clothing or sensory difficulties?
- What helps them feel safe?
- What signs show that they are becoming overwhelmed?
- Are there outdoor activities that help them regulate?
- Are there strategies that work particularly well for your child?
These observations can then be added to the Outdoor Me Passport.
Parents should never feel pressured to contribute, but where families are comfortable being involved, their knowledge can add valuable context to what school staff observe.
Working together can give practitioners a much fuller picture of the child.
Use photographs to support transition
Photographs can make the passport far more meaningful.
Consider including pictures of:
- the child in the outdoor area
- their favourite outdoor space
- their safe space
- resources they enjoy
- staff supporting them
- where equipment is stored
- entrances and exits
- quiet areas
- activities they particularly enjoy
You could also create a simple photo sequence showing:
Classroom → coat → door → outdoor area → activity → return indoors.
For some learners, seeing the sequence beforehand can reduce uncertainty.
Turn the passport into a transition activity
Rather than completing the document in one sitting, use it over several outdoor sessions.
Session 1 – Explore
Walk around the outdoor environment.
Allow the child to investigate freely.
Session 2 – Discover
Introduce simple resources such as hoops, clay, chalk, ropes or loose parts.
Notice preferences.
Session 3 – Communicate
Talk, use symbols or take photographs to capture what the child likes and dislikes.
Session 4 – Regulation
Explore which movements, spaces or activities help the learner regulate.
Session 5 – Build the passport
Bring the information together.
Session 6 – Share
With appropriate consent, share the passport with relevant adults supporting the child.
Transition becomes an ongoing process, not a single visit.
Explore more regulation activities with these quick and easy ideas:
Observe strengths, not only barriers
An Outdoor Me Passport should not become a list of everything a child cannot do.
Capture strengths too.
You might record:
- I am brilliant at building.
- I love noticing tiny things in nature.
- I can concentrate for a long time when collecting.
- I am confident climbing.
- I enjoy leading games.
- I have fantastic ideas when I can move.
- I communicate more when I am outdoors.
- I love helping carry equipment.
SEND support should recognise capability as well as need.
Use the passport to make reasonable adjustments
Once information has been collected, consider:
What can we change to make participation possible?
For example:
If a child dislikes mud, could they use tools before touching it directly?
If a child is overwhelmed by large groups, could they begin outdoors in a smaller group?
If they find transitions difficult, could they receive a visual warning?
If they struggle with uneven ground, could the activity move to a more accessible area?
If noise is difficult, is there a quieter location?
If sitting still is difficult, can movement become part of the learning?
The goal is not necessarily to remove the activity.
The goal is to increase access.
Risk-benefit thinking and SEND
Supporting SEND outdoors does not mean removing all challenge.
Children deserve opportunities to:
- explore
- take manageable risks
- develop independence
- solve problems
- make choices
- build physical confidence
- experience success
- recover from mistakes
Adults should consider both:
What is the risk?
and
What is the benefit of allowing the child to participate?
The Outdoor Me Passport can help staff make thoughtful, individualised decisions rather than automatically restricting participation.
A valuable transition document
The Outdoor Me Passport can support transition between:
- nursery and reception
- EYFS and Year 1
- year groups
- classes
- teachers
- mainstream and specialist provision
- school and alternative provision
- primary and secondary school
- new support staff
- intervention groups
It can also be updated throughout the year as the child develops.
A child who initially avoids an activity may later enjoy it.
Preferences change.
Confidence grows.
Support needs evolve.
The passport should evolve too.
Outdoor learning for SEND should begin with the child
There is no single outdoor learning strategy that works for every SEND learner.
Every child brings:
- different strengths
- different sensory experiences
- different communication methods
- different regulation needs
- different interests
- different challenges
That is why understanding the individual child matters.
Observe first.
Listen carefully.
Make adjustments.
Build confidence.
Then extend the challenge.
Create an Outdoor Me Passport in your setting
Use the Outdoor Me Passport as part of your SEND transition process, outdoor learning provision or pupil support planning.
It can help teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCos and families build a shared understanding of what successful outdoor participation looks like for an individual child.
Because effective inclusion is not about expecting every child to access the outdoors in exactly the same way.
It is about ensuring every child has a meaningful way in.
Outdoor Me Passport
A practical outdoor transition activity for SEND learners from The Muddy Puddle Teacher®.
Know the child. Understand the environment. Make participation possible.
To access these resources, you need to sign up for a Silver Membership.
For specific guidance on supporting neurodivergence outdoors, explore The Complete Guide to Supporting SEND Outdoors.
For more bespoke SEND training, head to the Outdoor SEND Training Hub.
