Outdoor Learning Training Hub:
Outdoor Learning, Outdoor Education and Forest School: What Is the Difference?
The terms outdoor learning, outdoor education and Forest School are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean exactly the same thing.
Understanding the difference can help schools and practitioners choose the right training, plan appropriate experiences and explain their approach clearly to staff, families and senior leaders.
Discover our Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Learning for more tips.
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What is Outdoor Learning?
Outdoor learning is a broad approach that involves using outdoor spaces to support teaching, play, development and wellbeing.
It can take place in:
- A school playground, nursery garden, courtyard, field, local park, woodland, wider community.
Outdoor learning can be child-led or adult-led. It might involve a complete lesson, a short practical activity, outdoor play, sensory regulation or an investigation linked to the curriculum.
Examples of outdoor learning include:
- Teaching phonics using chalk and natural materials, measuring playground objects during a maths lesson, investigating plants and habitats in science, doing active phonics and SPAG games, creating large-scale artwork, using outdoor movement to support emotional regulation, providing loose parts for child-led play.
Outdoor learning does not require a forest, specialist qualification or expensive equipment. It is about choosing the environment that best supports the child and the learning objective.
What is Outdoor Education?
Outdoor education is another broad term, but it is often associated with organised experiences that take place beyond the usual classroom environment.
It may include:
- Residential visits, outdoor adventure activities, environmental education, fieldwork, team-building activities, orienteering, climbing, canoeing, educational visits, learning about nature and sustainability.
Outdoor education can support personal development, resilience, independence, teamwork and knowledge of the natural world.
Some outdoor education activities require specialist instructors, additional qualifications or specific safety procedures. This is especially important when activities involve water, heights, tools, remote locations or adventurous sports.
Outdoor learning in school can be part of outdoor education, but not every outdoor lesson would normally be described as outdoor education. For example, teaching number bonds on the playground is outdoor learning. A residential trip involving climbing, navigation and environmental study would be more likely to be described as outdoor education.
What is Forest School?
Forest School is a specific educational approach rather than simply any activity that happens in a woodland.
It is usually delivered through regular sessions over an extended period. The approach focuses on child-led exploration, holistic development, appropriate risk, relationships and repeated contact with a natural environment.
Forest School commonly aims to support:
- Confidence, independence, self-esteem, resilience, creativity, emotional wellbeing, social skills, physical development and a relationship with the natural world.
Forest School sessions may include activities such as den building, natural exploration, fire lighting or using tools. However, the activities alone do not make a session Forest School.
A one-off woodland visit, outdoor scavenger hunt or lesson beneath the trees is not automatically Forest School. The long-term process, guiding principles and practitioner approach are central to Forest School practice. Practitioners leading Forest School programmes will normally undertake specific Forest School training appropriate to their role and responsibilities.
Is Forest School the same as Outdoor Learning?
No.
Forest School sits within the much wider world of outdoor learning.
A school can use outdoor learning every day without operating a Forest School programme. Teachers can take maths, phonics, English, science, geography and art outdoors without becoming Forest School leaders.
Equally, Forest School does not need to focus on delivering classroom curriculum objectives. Its purpose is often centred more strongly on holistic development, child-led experiences and long-term relationships with the natural environment.
Both approaches can be valuable, but they serve different purposes.
Do We Need Forest School Training to Teach Outdoors?
No.
You do not usually need a Forest School qualification to deliver everyday curriculum learning or outdoor play within your school or setting. Explore more into this area by reading the Ultimate Guide to Forest School
A teacher can take a lesson outdoors using the same professional knowledge, safeguarding procedures and curriculum understanding they would use indoors.
However, additional training may be needed when activities involve:
- Fires.
- Sharp tools.
- Water.
- Climbing.
- Off-site visits.
- Specialist equipment.
- More complex or adventurous activities.
Settings should always follow their own policies, risk assessments, safeguarding procedures and local guidance.
Develop Your Outdoor Practice with Gold or Ultimate Membership
Build your confidence, expand your knowledge and make outdoor learning part of everyday practice with The Muddy Puddle Teacher®.
Our online courses are created by experienced teachers for busy educators who want practical, achievable ways to take learning outdoors. Explore training for Early Years, primary education, outdoor play, SEND, autism support, outdoor maths and staff development—all using simple, sustainable methods that can work in the space you already have.
Gold Membership: Practical Courses for Everyday Practice
Gold members receive access to our growing collection of flexible online outdoor learning courses.
These courses are ideal for practitioners who want to:
- Build confidence before taking children outside.
- Discover practical activities and teaching methods.
- Strengthen outdoor provision and play.
- Support children with SEND and autism outdoors.
- Develop outdoor maths and curriculum learning.
- Help colleagues become more confident outside.
Learn online, work through each course at your own pace and return whenever you need new ideas, guidance or reassurance.
Ultimate Membership: Courses Plus Accredited Training
Ultimate membership includes access to the practical course library available with Gold, alongside our more comprehensive accredited outdoor learning training pathways.
The accredited programmes are designed for educators who want to deepen their knowledge, develop their professional practice and build lasting outdoor learning across their classroom, school or setting.
Training pathways include programmes for primary teachers, SEND educators, childminders and Early Years practitioners, with options covering Levels 1–4.
With Ultimate membership, you can:
- Access all Gold online courses.
- Complete accredited outdoor learning training.
- Progress through structured training levels.
- Strengthen your CPD and professional development.
- Develop confidence, knowledge and leadership skills.
- Work towards long-term change across your setting.
Which Membership Is Right for You?
Choose Gold when you want practical courses, fresh ideas and flexible professional development to support your everyday outdoor practice.
Choose Ultimate when you want everything included with Gold, plus accredited training and a more structured pathway for developing your expertise.
Join Gold to start learning outdoors with confidence—or choose Ultimate to access the complete course library and accredited outdoor learning training.
Explore this article to learn more about: Why taking learning outside works.
Is Forest School the same as Outdoor Learning?
No.
Forest School sits within the much wider world of outdoor learning.
A school can use outdoor learning every day without operating a Forest School programme. Teachers can take maths, phonics, English, science, geography and art outdoors without becoming Forest School leaders.
Equally, Forest School does not need to focus on delivering classroom curriculum objectives. Its purpose is often centred more strongly on holistic development, child-led experiences and long-term relationships with the natural environment.
Both approaches can be valuable, but they serve different purposes.
What Does Outdoor Learning Look Like in Early Years?
Outdoor learning in Early Years may include:
- Child-led imaginative play.
- Physical challenges.
- Water and mud play.
- Loose parts exploration.
- Mark-making.
- Storytelling.
- Construction.
- Gardening.
- Sensory experiences.
- Early maths and phonics activities.
- Exploring weather, seasons and nature.
The outdoor environment should not simply copy the indoor classroom. It should offer children experiences that are more difficult to provide indoors, including large-scale movement, appropriate risk, natural materials, changing weather and opportunities to investigate the real world. To explore this area more read the Beginners Guide to Early Years Outdoor Play.
Why Is Outdoor Play Important?
Outdoor play supports the whole child.
Children can develop coordination, strength and balance through climbing, carrying, digging, running and building. They can develop language by negotiating games, explaining ideas and describing what they notice. Head to the Early Years Outdoor Hub for more play ideas.
They also learn to make decisions, solve problems, manage emotions and work alongside others.
When practitioners receive effective outdoor learning training, they become better able to recognise the learning taking place during play and understand when to observe, when to support and when to step back.
How Does Outdoor Learning Training Help Key Stage 1?
Outdoor learning can help Key Stage 1 children make the transition from play-based learning into a more structured curriculum.
At this age, children still benefit greatly from movement, practical experiences and opportunities to talk through their ideas.
Outdoor learning training can help teachers deliver curriculum objectives in active and memorable ways without losing academic purpose. Discover the KS1 Outdoor Learning Hub for more lesson ideas.
Building Confidence Through Active Learning
Some children find it difficult to demonstrate what they know through worksheets or extended written tasks. New to Outdoor Learning? Try reading the Beginners Guide to Outdoor Learning in KS1.
Outdoor activities can offer alternative ways to participate, communicate and succeed.
For example, children might:
- Build a number line using natural objects.
- Create words using sticks and stones.
- retell a story through movement.
- Sort objects according to their properties.
- Follow directional instructions around the playground.
These experiences can help children feel more confident before recording their learning in the classroom.
How Does Outdoor Learning Training Help Key Stage 2?
Outdoor learning is not only for younger children.
Try reading the Beginners Guide to Outdoor Learning in KS2.
Key Stage 2 pupils can benefit from outdoor experiences that develop independence, resilience, problem solving, teamwork and subject knowledge.
Training can help teachers move beyond simple scavenger hunts and create outdoor lessons with clear curriculum purpose.
Developing Independence
Older pupils can take increasing responsibility for planning, organising equipment, recording observations and evaluating their work.
They may work in teams to complete investigations, solve challenges or lead part of an activity.
These experiences can help children develop the independence they will need as they prepare for secondary school. Explore the KS2 Outdoor Learning Hub for more lesson ideas.
Scientific Enquiry
The outdoor environment provides immediate opportunities for observation and investigation.
Children can study:
- Habitats.
- Plants.
- Materials.
- Forces.
- Light and shadow.
- Sound.
- Weather.
- Seasonal change.
- Classification.
- Human impact on the environment.
Outdoor science allows children to work with real examples rather than relying entirely on diagrams or videos.
How Does Outdoor Learning Training Support SEND?
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Outdoor learning can be highly supportive for children with special educational needs and disabilities, but activities must be planned around individual needs rather than assuming that being outside will automatically work for everyone. What does outdoor learning look like for SEND children? Explore more about this: The Beginners Guide to SEND Outdoors.
Effective SEND outdoor learning training should help practitioners understand sensory needs, communication differences, physical access, emotional regulation and the importance of predictable routines.
Supporting Sensory Regulation
Outdoor environments can offer movement, fresh air and opportunities for sensory input.
Children may benefit from:
- Carrying.
- Pushing.
- Pulling.
- Digging.
- Balancing.
- Climbing.
- Quiet observation.
- Contact with natural materials.
However, some children may find wind, rain, bright light, insects, unfamiliar textures or unpredictable noise overwhelming.
Training should help staff identify individual sensory preferences and make appropriate adaptations. Head to the SEND Outdoors Hub for more lesson ideas.
What Qualifications Do You Need to Deliver Outdoor Learning?
There is no single qualification that every teacher or practitioner must hold before taking learning outdoors.
The training you need will depend on the activities you plan to deliver, your role, your setting’s policies and the level of risk involved.
Outdoor Learning Is Different from Forest School
Outdoor learning and Forest School are connected, but they are not the same. Dive more into this area with this inspiring article : Forest School Vs Outdoor Learning.
Outdoor learning is a broad approach that can include curriculum teaching, outdoor play, environmental education, physical development and practical experiences.
Forest School is a specific approach with its own principles, training routes and long-term model of delivery.
You do not need to become a Forest School leader simply to teach maths, phonics, science, English or other curriculum subjects outdoors.
However, specialist training may be required for particular activities, tools, environments or programmes.
Why Teaching Knowledge Matters
Successful outdoor learning requires more than enthusiasm for being outside.
Practitioners need to understand:
- Child development.
- Curriculum progression.
- Assessment.
- Inclusion.
- Safeguarding.
- Behaviour support.
- Risk management.
- The purpose of each activity.
A strong understanding of teaching and learning helps practitioners ensure that outdoor experiences are meaningful rather than simply enjoyable.
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:
Scavenger Hunt (Maths- Numbers to 20)
Make number learning active, meaningful and memorable with this Outdoor Maths Scavenger Hunt for Numbers to 20. This teacher-created outdoor EBook helps children recognise, count, find and explore numbers from 1 to 20 through movement and play. Instead of completing...
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...
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.
Find a Trained Muddy Puddle School & Nursery Near You
See Our Muddy Puddle Teacher® Trained Schools
We are proud to have trained schools, early years settings and educators across the UK and Europe using The Muddy Puddle Teacher® approach. Explore the map to see just some of the schools and settings who are bringing outdoor learning, play and inclusive teaching to life with us.
From small nurseries to large primary schools, our training helps educators use the outdoors to support curriculum learning, wellbeing, SEND, behaviour, creativity and confidence — whatever the weather.
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 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.