What does Aistear say about outdoor play?

Planning your curriculum using the four themes of Aistear is a great place to start, it’s even better if you can link the themes to your children`s interests. I think many early years educators believe that outdoor play is important but find translating that into rich learning experiences a real struggle. I found that planning for a range of experiences in outdoor play and learning really helped. Aistear and Outdoor Learning in Winter can help you do that. Exploring and Thinking. We look at lots of examples in the webinar of linking children`s interests to learning experiences outdoors. We all belong to nature; we are nature but we belong to it in many different ways. In winter, this feeling of belonging is a challenge but identity and belonging is like a seed or bulb, if you tend to it in the right way, it will blossom. When I started noticing how being outside impacted positively on the children in my setting, I never realised how this would benefit me as the Early Years lead educator.

Outdoor play allows children to take risks. It fosters creativity. It provides an environment that is rich in learning experiences. Whatever you can do in your classroom, can be done outdoors. You will notice the excitement you tell the children that they can play wherever they want, with whomever or whatever they like. They can run, they can jump, and they can use their ‘outdoor voices’. When children have freedom of voice, that is when they truly play. Any age would be suitable for outdoor play, certainly children up to 2nd class or age 8/9 would be ideal candidates, but you may find older children benefit from it too. Any outdoor area in your school grounds will do, access to nature is preferable, but not essential, any yard space will do. You don’t need a mud kitchen or tuff trays, simple is best, here is a list of some suggestions that you may have already or that don’t cost much, water and sand play, small world toys, construction toys, jumbo chalk, soft balls, kitchen utensils, loose parts, natural objects in the vicinity, bubbles.

Children love to play inside and outside, and benefit from both. Some children will take part in activities more enthusiastically, and show greater confidence in the outdoor environment than inside. Ideally the outdoor play area should be directly connected to the indoor area providing ease of access throughout the day. Most of the things that can be done inside can also be done outside, for example reading stories, taking part in pretend play, doing group art projects, and playing with sand or water. Playing outside provides opportunities for young children to experience the world with all of their senses, this does not always have to be in a forest or green grass areas, children's senses are also heightened in urban spaces where the smells, textures, light, and noise may be different. Young children learn through the type of place or environment they are in. In outdoor spaces children can shout or be noisy, create bigger structures play games which require more expansive movements use their imagination in different ways, be more creative, messier and try out different activities, children learn best through different hand on experiences, exploring, experiencing, experimenting and making new discoveries. Research tell us that the experiences children have through quality outdoor play has a great influence and effect on the growth of their brain and creates strong foundations for future development in all areas. Playing freely outdoors helps children with the development of social skills, spatial awareness, cooperation, communication and sensory awareness.