What is Early Years Outdoors?
In the early years, outdoor learning brings young children into natural settings to support their physical, emotional, and cognitive development through play and exploration. Rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principles, outdoor learning for young children is all about using nature to create rich, hands-on learning experiences that build foundational skills in a relaxed, joyful setting.
Why Outdoor Learning?
Research shows that spending time outdoors is beneficial for young children. It helps improve motor skills, fosters independence, and reduces stress. Outdoor learning provides unique sensory experiences unavailable indoors, from touching rough bark to listening to birds. According to the Early Years Alliance, outdoor play supports children’s social skills as they engage with peers in open, dynamic environments.
How to Implement Outdoor Learning in Early Years
For educators, outdoor learning doesn’t require elaborate setups; it’s about using natural elements creatively. Muddy Puddle Teacher advocates for simple, nature-based activities that support the early years curriculum. Here are several ideas to get started:
- Nature Walks
Regular walks help children observe seasonal changes, animals, and plants. Nature walks allow young learners to develop curiosity, observation skills, and a love for nature. Check out The Woodland Trust for tips on creating nature-friendly spaces. - Sensory Play with Natural Materials
Natural sensory materials like leaves, stones, and mud offer fantastic learning opportunities. For instance, as recommended by the National Literacy Trust, children can create “mud kitchens” to explore textures and practice pretend play. - The Muddy Puddle Teacher Approach
The Muddy Puddle Teacher approach emphasizes nature-based learning through storytelling and role-playing with natural elements. This child-centred method encourages exploration and creativity. - Maths and Literacy Outside
Outdoor settings are perfect for practical maths and literacy exercises, such as counting pebbles or forming letters with sticks. For additional inspiration, NRICH Maths offers resources on outdoor maths activities. - Weather Observation
Encourage children to observe weather changes. Set up a weather chart outside and discuss daily changes with the children. This connects them with nature while teaching basic science concepts. The Met Office offers reliable weather resources to assist with weather-based activities. - Storytime Outdoors
Storytelling outdoors can add a magical element to children’s learning. Select books incorporating nature themes or use natural objects as props to make stories more engaging. BBC Tiny Happy People shares great storytelling tips.
Benefits of Outdoor Learning for Early Years
Outdoor learning supports a broad range of development areas:
- Physical Health
Climbing, running, and balancing outdoors improve children’s motor skills. The open environment encourages active play, which benefits children’s health and well-being. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes the importance of physical activity for young children. - Social Development
Group activities outside foster cooperation and communication. Children learn to work together, solve problems, and develop empathy. For more on social skill development, see Pathways.org. - Cognitive Growth
Outdoor environments stimulate inquiry and critical thinking. Activities like nature scavenger hunts and bug-watching build observation and categorization skills essential for cognitive growth. The Muddy Puddle Teacher provides valuable outdoor learning resources. - Environmental Awareness
Early exposure to nature teaches respect and appreciation for the environment. Children develop early environmental awareness by understanding ecosystems and learning about plants and animals (Eco-Schools).
Tips for Creating an Outdoor Learning Space
You don’t need a forest to create a meaningful outdoor learning space. Utilize available resources by incorporating natural features such as rocks, logs, and plants. The Royal Horticultural Society offers tips for setting up child-friendly green spaces.
Example Activities from The Muddy Puddle Teacher Approach
The Muddy Puddle Teacher offers a range of activities adaptable to various outdoor settings. The activities emphasise learning through sensory exploration and play, whether it’s nature-based maths or storytelling in a shaded spot.
Videos to Inspire Outdoor Learning
For visual inspiration on outdoor learning, explore these video resources:
- Early Years Outdoor Learning Ideas: Great for new activity ideas.
- Outdoor Play for Kids: Practical tips for creating engaging outdoor environments.
Early Years Outdoors: Most Popular Ideas for Nursery Teachers
Outdoor learning in the early years is more than just play; it’s a powerful approach that enhances cognitive, physical, and emotional development through hands-on, nature-based experiences. Nursery teachers can use these activities to inspire curiosity, build confidence, and foster a love of learning in young children. Here are some of the most popular outdoor learning ideas for nursery teachers, with useful resources and insights for getting started.
1. Nature Walks and Scavenger Hunts
Taking children on nature walks introduces them to different plants, insects, and natural objects, sparking curiosity about the world around them. You can create a simple scavenger hunt list with items like “a smooth rock” or “a yellow leaf” to help children observe and engage with their surroundings.
- The Woodland Trust has printable scavenger hunt sheets perfect for young children.
- Scholastic offers tips on making nature walks educational and fun.
2. Mud Kitchens and Sensory Play
Mud kitchens allow children to explore textures, practice pretend play, and develop their fine motor skills by squishing, mixing, and “cooking” with mud and other natural materials. This activity supports sensory development and encourages imaginative play.
- Teach Early Years provides guidance on setting up a mud kitchen.
- Check out Zero to Three for ideas on sensory play and its benefits for young children.
3. Bug Hunting and Insect Observation
Young children love exploring tiny creatures in their environment. Give them magnifying glasses to look closely at bugs, caterpillars, and other small animals they find in the garden or playground. This can lead to discussions about different habitats, life cycles, and the importance of insects.
- National Geographic Kids has resources for learning about insects.
- RSPB offers activities and identification guides for bugs commonly found in the UK.
4. Outdoor Storytelling and Role-Play
Bring books outside for storytelling sessions or let children act out their favorite tales using natural props like sticks, stones, or leaves. Outdoor storytelling combines literacy with movement and imagination, helping children engage more deeply with stories.
- Find storytelling tips on Storytelling Schools.
- BBC Tiny Happy People offers videos and advice on bringing stories to life for young children.
5. Gardening Projects
Gardening introduces children to plant life cycles, responsibility, and patience. Simple activities like planting seeds in pots or watering plants allow them to take ownership of a living thing and observe how it grows.
- Royal Horticultural Society has a range of child-friendly gardening activities.
- Muddy Puddle Teacher also provides outdoor gardening activities focused on early years.
6. Nature Art and Leaf Collages
Art projects using natural materials foster creativity and help children develop fine motor skills. Collect leaves, twigs, flowers, and stones to create collages, or try leaf rubbing with crayons to capture textures.
- Explore The Woodland Trust for nature art ideas.
- Crayola has ideas for leaf rubbing and other outdoor art projects.
7. Water Play with Natural Elements
Water play is simple, but incredibly engaging for young children. Set up a shallow water table outdoors with objects like pebbles, leaves, and floating flowers for sensory exploration. Adding small plastic animals can create a pretend habitat for even more fun.
- Pathways.org explains the sensory benefits of water play.
- HealthyChildren.org provides advice on safe water play for young children.
8. Building Bird Feeders and Observing Wildlife
Help children create bird feeders using pine cones, peanut butter (if there are no allergies), and seeds. Watching birds eat from their creations can teach them about local wildlife and the importance of caring for animals.
- National Trust has bird feeder crafts suited for young children.
- Muddy Puddle Teacher offers bird-watching and wildlife activities.
9. Outdoor Maths Activities
Teach maths outdoors by using natural items for counting, grouping, and comparing sizes. Stones, leaves, and sticks become learning tools that help children grasp early maths concepts in a tangible way.
- NRICH Maths provides outdoor maths activity ideas.
- BBC Bitesize has resources for incorporating early maths into outdoor learning.
10. Exploring Textures with Sensory Trails
Create a sensory trail with different textures like grass, mud, pebbles, and sand. Let children walk or crawl through the trail to experience how each texture feels under their feet and hands. This activity builds sensory awareness and vocabulary as children describe what they feel.
- Pathways.org shares information on sensory play benefits.
- Early Years Alliance offers ideas for creating sensory paths and trails.
11. Weather Tracking and Cloud Watching
Introduce young learners to science by observing weather patterns and tracking daily conditions. You can make a simple chart to record whether it’s sunny, cloudy, rainy, or windy each day. Pair this with cloud watching for a calming activity.
- Met Office provides resources on weather tracking.
- NASA’s Climate Kids has kid-friendly weather activities and information.
12. Rock Painting and Story Stones
Collect smooth stones and let children paint them with different symbols, animals, or characters. These “story stones” can then be used in storytelling sessions or as visual prompts for imaginative play.
- The Artful Parent offers rock painting ideas for kids.
- Muddy Puddle Teacher has ideas for incorporating story stones into outdoor learning.
13. Creating Fairy Houses or Mini Shelters
Use twigs, leaves, and bark to build tiny shelters for “fairies” or small animals. This activity taps into children’s imaginations and helps develop problem-solving skills as they construct miniature structures.
- Teach Early Years offers ideas for fairy house building.
- Fairy Garden Ideas has lots of inspiration for creating small natural spaces.
14. Shadow and Light Experiments
Use the sun to create shadows with objects like sticks, stones, or leaves. Encourage children to trace shadows or observe how shadows change over the day. This simple science activity introduces the concept of light and shadow in a hands-on way.
- STEM Learning UK shares science activities for early years.
- BBC Bitesize also offers resources for teaching light and shadows.
15. Building Obstacle Courses with Natural Materials
Create a simple obstacle course using logs, rocks, and other natural elements for children to climb over, balance on, and jump from. This activity builds gross motor skills and coordination while keeping children engaged and active.
- Outdoor Classroom Day provides ideas for outdoor physical activities.
- Muddy Puddle Teacher includes physical play in its outdoor learning resources.
