Outdoor Learning UK: Training, Activities, Resources & Play for Schools
We provide expert-teacher-led outdoor learning training, activities and resources for EYFS and primary teachers used in UK schools & nurseries. The Muddy Puddle Teacher approach helps schools deliver meaningful, curriculum-linked outdoor learning and outdoor play that improves engagement, wellbeing and outcomes.
Created by teacher of 18 yrs (SLT), educational consultant, 100K+ social media followers, published author with Bloomsbury, podcaster & MP Award HERo Winner Sarah Seaman PGCE/MA. Seen here receiving an award from the Houses of Parliament with MP Clive Betts.
Teacher-Created Outdoor Lesson Activities
We upload new outdoor lesson plans & resources daily. Browse some of our recently uploaded outdoor lesson plans and resources below.
8 Year Four Big Write Ideas Outdoors
Bring new energy and purpose with these 8 Year Four Big Write Ideas Outdoors for writing lessons with this collection of creative outdoor learning Big Write activities.8 Year Four Big Write Ideas Outdoors provides ready-to-use, imaginative writing prompts that take...
8 Year Three Big Write Ideas Outdoors
Give your Year Three writers a fresh burst of creativity with this collection of powerful outdoor learning Big Write activities.8 Year Three Big Write Ideas Outdoors offers ready-made, imaginative writing prompts that take children outside, encourage teamwork, and use...
8 Year Two Big Write Ideas Outdoors
Bring excitement, creativity and purpose to your Year Two Big Write writing lessons with this collection of outdoor learning Big Write activities.8 Year Two Big Write Ideas Outdoors provides teachers with innovative, ready-to-use outdoor writing prompts that blend...
What is Outdoor Learning?
Outdoor learning is a way of teaching and learning that takes place outside the traditional classroom. It uses natural environments—like school grounds, parks, and woodland areas—to bring lessons to life through hands-on, real-world experiences.
Rather than sitting at desks, children learn by exploring, investigating, and engaging with the world around them. This might include measuring in maths using natural materials, developing literacy through storytelling outdoors, or building problem-solving skills through play and teamwork.
At The Muddy Puddle Teacher, we take this a step further. We offer a unique, structured approach to outdoor learning, specifically designed for nurseries and primary schools. Our method supports teachers in delivering the curriculum outdoors in a way that is practical, engaging, and easy to implement—without needing extensive equipment or extra time.
Outdoor learning supports the whole child. It helps to build:
- confidence and independence
- physical health and wellbeing
- creativity and curiosity
- communication and social skills
At its heart, outdoor learning makes education active, meaningful, and memorable—helping children connect what they learn in the classroom with the real world around them.
Looking for some free outdoor activities and tips? Use the blog below to explore more ideas.
KS2 Forest School: Higher-Level Challenges and Skills (Complete Guide)
How to stretch, challenge and inspire Key Stage 2 learners outdoors KS2 Forest School offers the perfect opportunity to develop independence, resilience, leadership and higher-level problem-solving skills. As children...
Forest School Activities for KS1: Nature, Maths & Literacy
A practical guide to enriching KS1 learning through Forest School Forest School offers KS1 children powerful opportunities to explore, create, problem-solve and develop independence in a natural environment. By taking...
20 Forest School Activities for EYFS: Simple, Safe and Exciting Ideas for Little Learners
Forest School in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is an incredible way to support curiosity, confidence, communication and physical development. Young children learn best through hands-on exploration, movement,...
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Outdoor Learning & Play for Early Years (EYFS)
Transform your setting with inspiring outdoor learning in EYFS that truly engages young minds. Our carefully designed resources support high-quality outdoor provision in EYFS, making it easy to create exciting, purposeful environments where children thrive. Through meaningful early years outdoor play, children build confidence, develop key physical skills, and strengthen communication and problem-solving abilities—all while learning through exploration and fun. Want to know how to make a start at teaching outdoors? Try these 100 Outdoor Ideas for EYFS, KS1 & KS2 you can start now!
Whether you’re enhancing your current outdoor space or starting from scratch, our EYFS outdoor play resources help you deliver rich, curriculum-linked experiences every day. Designed by experts and loved by practitioners, our solutions make outdoor learning in EYFS simple, effective, and impactful—so you can focus on what matters most: helping children learn, grow, and flourish outdoors. Learn 10 easy outdoor learning activities.
Discover all of our thousands of early years outdoors ideas using the posts below. Find outdoor learning lesson plans, resources and award winning outdoor play lanyards. We pride ourselves on the stripped-back outdoor play approach we use to help children reignite their imaginations and learn to play, creatively with nature. Explore the posts below now for instant ideas.
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Outdoor Learning Lesson Plans & Ideas KS1 & KS2
Bring the curriculum to life with engaging outdoor learning activities designed for KS1 and KS2. Our ready-to-use lesson plans for outdoor learning take the stress out of planning, giving teachers creative, curriculum-linked outdoor lesson ideas that inspire curiosity, teamwork, and active learning. From maths trails to literacy adventures, our resources make it easy to turn any outdoor space into a dynamic classroom. Discover 100 outdoor learning ideas.
All of our resources are created by teachers and founded by MP Award winning teacher Sarah Seaman PGCE/MA. Explore her range of books with Bloomsbury. Packed with practical, high-quality outdoor learning resources, our lesson plans help you deliver meaningful learning experiences beyond the classroom walls. Learn more about the key to success when you teach outside of the classroom. Whether you’re new to outdoor learning or looking to expand your provision, our expertly created materials save time, boost engagement, and support outstanding teaching across KS1 and KS2.
Explore the posts below to find teacher-created, curriculum linked outdoor activities and outdoor lesson plans on all subject areas.
Click on the posts below to get more innovative KS1 outdoor ideas and KS2 outdoor lesson plans in all areas of the curriculum.
Outdoor PE Warm-Up Games Pack – KS2
10 Active Games for Outdoor PE Sessions Prepare children for successful PE lessons with the Outdoor PE Warm-Up Games Pack – KS2, a practical collection of ten engaging warm-up games designed for Years 3–6. This resource supports safe, effective warm-ups that raise...
Outdoor PE Games KS1 (Warm Up Challenges)
10 Ready-to-Use Games for Active Outdoor Learning Get children moving, confident, and active with our Outdoor PE Games Pack – KS1, a practical collection of 10 simple, engaging outdoor PE games designed specifically for Years 1–2. This pack provides teachers with...
Farm Visit – Animal Bingo
Turn farm visits into an engaging, interactive learning experience with our Farm Visit – Animal Bingo resource. Designed especially for early years and young children, this simple bingo-style activity encourages careful observation, communication, and excitement as...
Outdoor Learning Training, Outdoor Play & INSET Days
Empower your team with high-impact outdoor learning training UK designed to transform practice and raise outcomes. Our expert-led courses deliver quality outdoor learning training that is practical, inspiring, and tailored to real classroom needs. Whether you’re developing confidence or refining your approach, our CPD outdoor learning sessions equip staff with the skills, knowledge, and ready-to-use ideas to deliver outstanding outdoor provision. Explore, What does outdoor learning training look like?
Our accredited outdoor learning training and INSET days focus on effective outdoor play, curriculum links, and creating engaging learning environments that work for your setting. With hands-on guidance and proven strategies, you’ll leave with a clear action plan to embed outdoor learning across your school or early years provision—boosting engagement, wellbeing, and achievement. We have a glowing 4.9 stars on google reviews, we are the experts when it comes to outdoor learning and outdoor play.
Empower your team with high-impact outdoor learning training UK designed to transform practice and raise outcomes. Our expert-led courses deliver quality outdoor learning training that is practical, inspiring, and tailored to real classroom needs. Whether you’re developing confidence or refining your approach, our CPD outdoor learning sessions equip staff with the skills, knowledge, and ready-to-use ideas to deliver outstanding outdoor provision. Explore, What does outdoor learning training look like?
Our accredited outdoor learning training and INSET days focus on effective outdoor play, curriculum links, and creating engaging learning environments that work for your setting. With hands-on guidance and proven strategies, you’ll leave with a clear action plan to embed outdoor learning across your school or early years provision—boosting engagement, wellbeing, and achievement. We have a glowing 4.9 stars on google reviews, we are the experts when it comes to outdoor learning and outdoor play.
Ready to explore our trademarked outdoor learning training programmes? Use the posts below to find out how our outdoor approach can impact on your school, children and staff.
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Why The Muddy Puddle Teacher is a Leader in Outdoor Learning?
The Muddy Puddle Teacher is recognised as a leading authority in outdoor learning, combining proven educational expertise with a widely adopted, research-informed approach that is transforming teaching practice across the UK and beyond.
With a comprehensive library of over 1,000 high-quality resources, lesson plans, and activities, all created by qualified teachers, we support educators in delivering meaningful, curriculum-linked outdoor learning experiences. Our impact is reflected in a growing global community, with 27,000 educators subscribing to our resources every month.
Our training programmes have reached 14,000 teachers across the UK online, equipping them with practical strategies and confidence to embed outdoor learning into everyday teaching. Over the past nine years, we have worked directly with more than 500 UK schools, delivering whole-school training that creates lasting, systemic change. Internationally, we have also provided whole-school training to 10 schools across Europe through our online programmes.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher was founded by Sarah Seaman, an internationally recognised educator with over 18 years of teaching experience. Holding a PGCE and MA, Sarah is an award-winning practitioner, receiving the MP Award in 2022. She is also a published author with Bloomsbury Publishing, a regular expert speaker on BBC radio programmes, a conference speaker, and a podcast presenter.
Our methodology is a trademarked approach, meaning that The Muddy Puddle Teacher framework for outdoor learning is exclusive and cannot be replicated elsewhere. Schools and educators can only access this proven approach through official Muddy Puddle Teacher training and resources.
By combining scale, credibility, and measurable impact, The Muddy Puddle Teacher continues to set the benchmark for excellence in outdoor learning.
Outdoor Learning Explained: Benefits, Research & Practical Examples
What Is Outdoor Learning? A Simple Guide
Outdoor learning is an approach to education that takes place outside the traditional classroom. Instead of sitting at desks, learners explore, discover, and engage with the natural environment—whether that’s a forest, park, beach, or even a school playground.
At its core, outdoor learning is about experiential education. It encourages people to learn by doing—observing wildlife, building shelters, solving real-world problems, and connecting with nature in a meaningful way. This hands-on approach helps deepen understanding and makes learning more memorable.
Why Outdoor Learning Matters
Outdoor learning offers a wide range of benefits for both children and adults:
- Improves physical health through movement and fresh air
- Boosts mental wellbeing by reducing stress and increasing focus
- Encourages creativity and curiosity through open-ended exploration
- Builds confidence and resilience by facing new challenges
- Enhances social skills through teamwork and communication
In a world where screen time is increasing, outdoor learning provides a valuable opportunity to reconnect with the environment and develop essential life skills.
What Does Outdoor Learning Look Like?
Outdoor learning can take many forms, including:
- Forest school sessions
- Nature walks and environmental studies
- Team-building activities and outdoor challenges
- Gardening and sustainability projects
- Outdoor classrooms and lessons across subjects such as maths and English
It can be structured or unstructured, guided by educators or led by learners themselves.
Outdoor Learning for All Ages
While often associated with schools, outdoor learning is not just for children. It is equally valuable for adults, families, and organisations looking to improve wellbeing, teamwork, and connection with nature.
Why Outdoor Lessons Works
- 88% of teachers say pupils are more engaged outdoors
Source: Natural Connections Demonstration Project (2016) - Learning outdoors can improve retention and understanding
Source: Institute for Outdoor Learning - Exposure to nature improves concentration and reduces attention fatigue
Source: University of Illinois (Attention Restoration Theory studies) - Children are more physically active during outdoor lessons
Source: Natural England - Outdoor learning improves behaviour and reduces classroom disruption
Source: University of Essex - Time in nature significantly reduces stress and improves wellbeing
Source: University of Exeter - Outdoor learning supports development of social and communication skills
Source: Learning Away - Nature-based learning boosts creativity and problem-solving skills
Source: American Institutes for Research - Regular outdoor learning is linked to improved academic outcomes
Source: Education Endowment Foundation
Learning Outside the Classroom & Outdoor Play FAQ's
What is outdoor play?
Outdoor play is play based learning activities that are conducted outside utilising the benfits of an outdoor space. Explore 100 Outdoor play ideas in our blog.
What are the benefits of outdoor learning?
Outdoor learning improves engagement, supports mental wellbeing, builds confidence, and helps develop key life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience. It can also enhance academic understanding through real-world experiences. Discover more benefits to outdoor learning
Is outdoor learning part of the curriculum?
Yes, outdoor learning can support many areas of the curriculum, including science, geography, maths, and literacy. It’s often used to bring subjects to life in a more practical and engaging way. Try some top 30 outdoor ideas to start your journey.
Is outdoor learning safe?
When properly planned and supervised, outdoor learning is very safe. Explore saftery advice, risk assessments, trained staff, and clear guidelines ensure that activities are both safe and beneficial.
What age groups is outdoor learning suitable for?
Outdoor learning is suitable for all ages—from early years through to adults. Activities can be adapted to suit different abilities, learning goals, and group sizes.
What is a forest school?
Forest school is a specific type of outdoor learning that takes place in a woodland setting. It focuses on child-led learning, exploration, and developing confidence through regular sessions in nature. Learn more about the joys of forest school.
Does outdoor learning require special equipment?
Not necessarily. Many outdoor learning activities use natural materials found in the environment. Some sessions may include simple tools or resources, depending on the activity.
How often should outdoor learning take place?
This can vary depending on the setting. Some schools incorporate outdoor learning weekly, while others use it more regularly. Even occasional sessions can have a positive impact.
Can outdoor learning take place in urban areas?
Yes, outdoor learning doesn’t require remote wilderness. School grounds, local parks, and community spaces can all be used effectively for outdoor learning.
How can we get started with outdoor learning?
Start small by taking lessons outside, using natural materials, or exploring local green spaces. Working with experienced outdoor learning providers can also help you build confidence and structure your approach. Explore more resources in our planning hub.