Designing the Outdoor Learning Environment for Early Childhood

The concept of play-based learning is nothing new. You can catch a glimpse of its use in the Montessori approach to learning which is child-led and encourages discovery through play. The concept of an outdoor learning environment is not so far-removed from that. Its proponents believe that children thrive and learn more effectively in environments that allow them to pursue their interests and when they have fun. Discover how an outdoor learning environment empowers children and why more educators in early childhood should incorporate this into their curriculum.

Benefits of Outdoor Learning for Early Years

Children are encouraged to play outside because it provides several benefits. Whether they can play vigorously, engage in messy play, or use their loud voices to release their energy, it gives children the opportunity to do things they can’t do within the classroom. This type of freedom also unlocks the highest learning potential when it is used correctly.

The following are some of the notable benefits of incorporating outdoor learning in early childhood education:

• Better physical health – The opportunity to engage in physical play and exposure to open air will bring about several physical health benefits for kids. 
• Boost motor skills – Physical activities can also strengthen their motor skills so they become more independent. 
• Visual-motor integration – Interacting with nature and various natural elements they can discover while outdoors can significantly enhance their use of visual and motor skills, as well as coordination of the two.
• Enhanced creativity – Providing an outdoor learning environment with open-ended resources unleashes a child’s creativity by giving them the freedom to explore and interact with their surroundings.
• Better social skills – Outdoor play also encourages kids to interact with other children which they won’t be able to do in the classroom. Therefore, it is also beneficial in promoting better social skills. 
• Boosts cognitive ability – Children can use their cognitive function when interacting with various elements in nature. 
• Enhanced levels of Vitamin D – Exposure to sunlight when playing outdoors can bring several benefits to your child, especially in getting enough vitamin D to promote bone health. 

On top of the aforementioned benefits, children with special needs can also largely benefit from outdoor play and learning. Building the right outdoor learning space is critical in making sure that the students can benefit from the factors listed above. 

Designing an Outdoor Learning Environment

The outdoor learning environment should be optimised to succeed with this method of learning. Educators should incorporate various aspects of design to ensure that learning is accessible to children.

A good outdoor learning environment offers children the ability to choose how they would interact with that environment. It must also challenge them enough to take risks, while also thinking about the need for safety. Natural play provides a unique opportunity for children to discipline themselves at a young age that they wouldn’t learn in a classroom setting. 

Make sure to provide an outdoor learning space that encourages them to interact with nature, such as a tree, the soil, or various animals. There are open-ended possibilities with these natural elements that make early childhood learning more fulfilling and fun for kids. 

Even if you choose to set up a permanent outdoor space for learning, make sure it has enough flexibility to cater for the unique needs and rate of development of every child. You should also provide open-ended resources so they can use their own ideas on how to interact with these objects. 

An effective outdoor learning environment must have space for relaxation and quiet time, too. There should be a balance in these activities to ensure that you maximize opportunities for learning and allow for different personalities. 

Best Practices to Maximize Learning in Outdoor Play 

The outdoor play environment is the focal point in effective early childhood learning. You can also employ these strategies to maximize the learning environment and ensure the child gets optimum learning from the experience.

1. Start small

Taking the children outdoors for play and learning can be overwhelming to them. While a classroom is a contained space, the outdoors feels much bigger. Therefore, take gradual steps to keep children from being overwhelmed. For example, start with a short session outdoors each day until they gradually become used to the outdoor environment. 

Be patient with the children’s adjustment rate – you can’t rush them into engaging in outdoor play because they won’t be able to maximize learning if they are overwhelmed. Once they become more comfortable, you can give them more control over how they interact with the natural environment.

2. Employ place-based learning

One of the tricks to keep children from being overwhelmed in the outdoor learning environment is to focus on one area at a time. For example, you can get them started on doing gardening activities first. You can then move on to another section of the outdoor environment once they become more at ease. Before you know it, they will be exploring on their own and discovering various ideas on how to interact with their surroundings.

3. Keep them hands-on

Don’t worry about getting messy! The more a child touches, moves, or physically interacts with the various objects in this learning space, the better it is for their learning. Make sure you provide enough resources for them to interact with and provide an avenue to showcase their creative ideas.

4. Stay flexible

Children, especially in the early years, can be highly unpredictable. You might have a learning program designed for this type of activity but you have to stay flexible. Not all children will respond to various learning cues at the same rate or in the same way. Therefore, you have to be flexible to encourage children to learn as they grow. 

Outdoor learning can also be unpredictable because you can’t predict the weather and various outdoor elements. You must learn to maximize every situation and identify learning opportunities. 

5. Put safety first

Children’s safety will always be a higher priority when encouraging outdoor play and learning. Keep their learning resources accessible and encourage children to take appropriate risks. The more a child takes a risk, the more they will gain confidence. 

6. Encourage collaboration

Play-based learning is all about interacting with the other children in the class. The outdoor learning environment must also facilitate collaborative activities and projects. Developing a child’s social skills at an early age will benefit them later on in life.