Outdoor Learning Training for Teachers, Schools, EYFS & SEND
Looking for outdoor learning training that gives your staff the confidence, ideas, and practical strategies to teach outside? Our teacher-led outdoor learning training helps schools, nurseries, EYFS teams, SEND settings, and individual practitioners create purposeful, inclusive and engaging outdoor learning experiences that children love.
This guidance page will cover:
- What is outdoor learning training?
- Who is outdoor learning training for?
- Outdoor learning training for primary schools
- Outdoor learning training for SEND schools
- EYFS outdoor play training
- Outdoor learning CPD for individuals
- Benefits of outdoor learning training
- How to make a start
- Book outdoor learning training
Choose your Pathway
I am new to Outdoor Learning and want a beginner’s course
Do you have no idea where to start? Have you been appointed as an Outdoor Learning Lead/SENCO position and are looking for ways to support your children? You may just be curious about what our approach is and how it can help. On offer today for just £20, try our beginner’s course, to learn what our approach is about and how to make a start at teaching or playing outdoors. Pathways for each age range and for school/nursery and home settings. Gain a CPD certificate in Level 1 Outdoor Learning.
I want outdoor learning training for my Primary School
Bring the curriculum to life outdoors with practical, teacher-created training using The Muddy Puddle Teacher® Approach. Perfect for primary schools wanting to improve engagement, support behaviour, reduce desk-based learning, and create more active, inclusive lessons across subjects. We have meetings before all scheduled training to tailor the training to the needs of the school/SIP/SDP. We can train the whole school staff from babies to Year 6 and include teachers/learning support & lunchtime support staff. Choose from INSET days to year-long mentorships. Read a case study from one of our schools as to the reasons why they used outdoor learning to help children settle better in class and increase engagement. Headteacher Andrew Clewer, Landywood Primary, Staffordshire.
Book a call below to speak with Sarah Seaman PGCE/MA, our lead trainer, and discover how we can support you.
Sarah is a class teacher, education consultant, Bloomsbury author, and educational speaker with over 18 years of teaching experience, including nine years in senior leadership and consultancy roles.
She has trained over 500 state schools across the UK and regularly writes and speaks as an expert panel contributor on BBC Radio.
I want outdoor learning training for my SEND School
Support SEND learners through inclusive, sensory-rich outdoor learning using The Muddy Puddle Teacher® Approach.
This pathway is ideal for SEND schools looking to improve regulation, confidence, communication, behaviour and engagement through movement, play and hands-on learning. The training also supports staff to make meaningful links to core skills in maths and English, helping pupils access learning in fresh, practical and engaging ways.
Our approach includes a soft skills toolkit for pupils who need additional support with sensory exploration outdoors, including children who regularly mouth or eat outdoor materials. We also provide a progressive toolkit to help schools develop confidence, safety and independence in this area over time.
You can read our recent case study from headteacher Jacqueline Clearkin at Heritage House SEND School in Hertfordshire, where outdoor learning was used as a platform to introduce maths in more engaging, accessible and meaningful ways.
Book a call below to speak with Sarah Seaman PGCE/MA, our lead trainer, and discover how we can support your school.
Sarah is a class teacher, education consultant, Bloomsbury author and educational speaker with over 18 years of teaching experience, including nine years in senior leadership and consultancy roles. Sarah is neurodivergent herself and has over 12 years’ experience supporting SEND learners in both mainstream and special school settings.
She has trained over 50 SEND schools across the UK and regularly writes and speaks about the power of outdoor learning for SEND. Most recently, she has contributed to panels on this topic, including at the English Language Institute.
I want outdoor play training for EYFS
Support your youngest learners through purposeful, play-based outdoor learning using The Muddy Puddle Teacher® Approach.
This pathway is ideal for EYFS settings looking to improve behaviour, engagement, confidence, communication and physical development through movement, play and hands-on learning. It is also perfect for children who find it difficult to sit for long periods, need more opportunities to move, or learn best through active, sensory-rich experiences.
We offer both our Outdoor Play Programme, which focuses on a stripped-back approach to outdoor provision, and our Outdoor Focus Teaching Programme, which supports practitioners to take curriculum-linked teaching outdoors in simple, meaningful and engaging ways. We tailor the training to the needs of your setting, your staff and your children, so the approach feels manageable, realistic and easy to embed.
Our training helps practitioners create inclusive outdoor play and learning opportunities that support all learners, including children with SEND. We show staff how to use outdoor spaces to bring learning to life, linking play-based activities to the EYFS framework, early maths, early literacy, communication and language, physical development, personal, social and emotional development, and understanding the world.
You may be looking for more active, child-led ways to teach key skills, or searching for fresh ideas to support children who struggle with attention, regulation or traditional indoor learning. This pathway gives your team practical, easy-to-use strategies that make outdoor play purposeful, inclusive and manageable.
Book a call below to speak with a qualified teacher and EYFS lead to talk through the most suitable training for all budgets and spaces.
I want to train online
For solo trainees, mall schools & nurseries or international schools. You can train online using our easy-to-use online outdoor learning training formats. This is not live, learn via modules on your phone or on a laptop. Start at Level 1 and work through the levels to gain outdoor learning lead and coordinator status.
What is Outdoor Learning Training?
Outdoor learning training helps teachers and practitioners use outdoor spaces to support curriculum learning, child development, wellbeing, behaviour, communication, movement, and engagement. It gives staff practical strategies for planning lessons outside, managing risk, supporting SEND learners, and making outdoor learning purposeful rather than occasional.
You’ll learn how to:
- plan and deliver outdoor lessons
- use outdoor spaces effectively
- link activities to the curriculum
- manage behaviour and engagement outdoors
- build confidence in delivering outdoor learning
Discover or Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Learning for more tips.
Book a chat with a qualified teacher and outdoor consultant👇
EYFS Outdoor Play Training
Outdoor play training gives early years teams the confidence, ideas, and practical strategies they need to make the most of their outdoor spaces. With the right support, outdoor play becomes more than just “free time” — it becomes a powerful opportunity for learning, communication, movement, creativity, and wellbeing.
For children, high-quality outdoor play supports physical development, problem-solving, confidence, independence, social skills, language, and emotional regulation. It is especially valuable for active learners and children with SEND, as it allows them to learn through movement, sensory experiences, exploration, and hands-on play. Read this article to gain more inspiration in the impacts of outdoor play: Is outdoor play the missing piece in early years?
For staff, outdoor play training helps build confidence in planning purposeful activities, extending child-led learning, managing risk positively, and using the outdoor environment to support the EYFS curriculum. It also gives teams fresh ideas, shared understanding, and practical tools they can use straight away.
Our outdoor play training helps settings create outdoor learning that is inclusive, engaging, and meaningful — supporting both children and staff to thrive.
Trustpilot Reviews 5 Stars 
‘We had an in person training provided by Sarah and it was incredible!’ – Julie , Headteacher , Happy Days Nursery
‘What a truly inspiring way to start our term!
The PD day training with The Muddy Puddle Teacher was fantastic and the staff are excited to start their outdoor learning journey with the children. We are day two in to term and I have seen four outdoor lessons already!
Thank you from all of us at Churchside Federation.’ Sarah Godbold, Executive Headteacher
Outdoor Learning Training for Primary Schools
Outdoor learning gives children the freedom to explore, move, investigate, and learn in a hands-on way. It helps bring the curriculum to life by turning everyday experiences into meaningful opportunities for discovery, problem-solving, communication, and creativity. Explore this article to gain research and impact: Why Outdoor learning is not just a trend – it is back by research.
For children, outdoor learning supports physical development, confidence, resilience, independence, teamwork, language, wellbeing, and curiosity. It is especially powerful for active learners and children with SEND, as it offers space, movement, sensory experiences, and practical ways to access learning. Subject specific online courses can also be explored: Teach SPAG and English Outdoors Courses
For staff, outdoor learning training builds confidence in using the outdoor environment with purpose. It helps teams plan engaging activities, extend child-led learning, support different needs, and link outdoor experiences to the EYFS and wider curriculum.
Our outdoor learning support helps settings create exciting, inclusive, and purposeful learning opportunities outside — giving both children and staff the confidence to thrive beyond the classroom.
How to Start Outdoor Learning in Your School
- Look at the space you already have
Walk around your outdoor area and think about how it could support movement, storytelling, maths, mark making, construction, sensory play, or investigation. - Start small
Choose one area of learning to take outdoors first, such as phonics, maths, storytelling, or physical development. - Use natural resources
Sticks, stones, leaves, mud, water, logs, pinecones, and chalk can create rich learning opportunities without high costs. - Think about your active learners
Outdoor learning is ideal for children who need movement, space, sensory input, and practical experiences to stay engaged. - Make learning hands-on
Instead of completing tasks on paper, encourage children to build, collect, sort, count, measure, create, act out, and explore. - Encourage staff confidence
Give staff time to share ideas, ask questions, and practise simple outdoor activities together.
Book Outdoor Learning Training for Your Setting
Book a chat with a qualified teacher, consultant and outdoor expert. Let us learn more about what you want outdoor learning or outdoor play for, your grounds, your staff confidence levels so that we can tailor your training for your children’s needs. Discover more reasons to book onto our trainin with this blog : Why taking learning outside works.
Benefits of Outdoor Learning Training
Teachers and educators who complete our trademarked outdoor learning training often see:
- increased confidence in delivering outdoor lessons
- improved pupil engagement and behaviour
- more creative and flexible teaching approaches
- stronger connections between children and nature
- happier, healthier children
- supportive SEND inclusive classrooms
Ready-to-Use Resources Included
Many of our training courses include access to ready-to-use lesson plans and resources, helping you put your learning into practice straight away.
Explore outdoor learning resources here:
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 Learning Training FAQ
What is outdoor learning training?
Outdoor learning training helps teachers and practitioners plan and deliver purposeful learning outside using practical, curriculum-linked, inclusive and engaging approaches.
Who is outdoor learning training for?
It is suitable for primary schools, EYFS settings, nurseries, SEND schools, outdoor learning leads, SENCOs, teaching assistants, lunchtime staff and individual educators.
Can outdoor learning training support SEND learners?
Yes. Outdoor learning can support SEND learners through movement, sensory-rich experiences, communication opportunities, emotional regulation, confidence building and practical access to learning. Explore our SEND Online Courses.
Do we need a large outdoor space?
No. Outdoor learning training can help staff make better use of the space they already have, whether that is a playground, field, small courtyard, woodland area or nursery garden.
Is outdoor learning linked to the curriculum?
Yes. Outdoor learning can support maths, English, science, communication and language, physical development, wellbeing, creativity, understanding the world and wider curriculum outcomes.
Do you offer outdoor learning training for EYFS?
Yes. EYFS outdoor play training supports purposeful play, movement, communication, sensory learning, early maths, early literacy and child-led exploration.
Can the training be tailored to our school?
Yes. Your page already says training includes meetings before scheduled training to tailor the approach to the school’s needs, SIP/SDP, staff and children
Do you need expensive kit to do The Muddy Puddle Teacher Approach?
No, read out outdoor learning equipment list to get an idea of the tools we use which is mainly natural and upcycled items. Which makes this approach super sustainable also.