The emotional environment

• The emotional environment is created by all the people in the setting, but adults have to ensure that it is warm and accepting of everyone.
• Adults need to empathise with children and support their emotions.
• When children feel confident in the environment they are willing to try things out, knowing that effort is valued.
• When children know that their feelings are accepted they learn to express them, confident that adults will help them with how they are feeling.

Video

Playing with sand and water — In the outdoor area on a rainy day at a pre-school, a practitioner explores the effects of water on sand with two children. [transcript]

You can watch the video via modem or slow / fast / superfast broadband connections. If you are behind a network firewall, why not click here to view a flash file of the video. You do need to have the flash plugin.

The outdoor environment

• Being outdoors has a positive impact on children's sense of well-being and helps all aspects of children's development.
• Being outdoors offers opportunities for doing things in different ways and on different scales than when indoors.
• It gives children first-hand contact with weather, seasons and the natural world.
• Outdoor environments offer children freedom to explore, use their senses, and be physically active and exuberant.

Effective Practice

Outdoor learning [77Kb]

Video

Playing with sand and water — In the outdoor area on a rainy day at a pre-school, a practitioner explores the effects of water on sand with two children. [transcript]

You can watch the video via modem or slow / fast / superfast broadband connections. If you are behind a network firewall, why not click here to view a flash file of the video. You do need to have the flash plugin.

The indoor environment

• The indoor environment provides a safe, secure yet challenging space for children.
• For some children, the indoor environment is like a second 'home', providing a place for activity, rest, eating and sleeping.
• The indoor environment contains resources which are appropriate, well maintained and accessible for all children.
• Indoor spaces are planned so that they can be used flexibly and an appropriate range of activities is provided.

Video

Playing with sand and water — In the outdoor area on a rainy day at a pre-school, a practitioner explores the effects of water on sand with two children. [transcript]

You can watch the video via modem or slow / fast / superfast broadband connections. If you are behind a network firewall, why not click here to view a flash file of the video. You do need to have the flash plugin.

Effective practice

• Understand that some children may need extra support to express their feelings and come to terms with them.
• Encourage children to help to plan the layout of the environment and to contribute to keeping it tidy.
• Ensure that children have opportunities to be outside on a daily basis all year round.
• Help children to understand how to behave outdoors and inside by talking about personal safety, risks and the safety of others.
• Create an indoor environment that is reassuring and comforting for all children, while providing interest through novelty from time to time.
• Where possible link the indoor and outdoor environments so that children can move freely between them.

Video

Playing with sand and water — In the outdoor area on a rainy day at a pre-school, a practitioner explores the effects of water on sand with two children. [transcript]

You can watch the video via modem or slow / fast / superfast broadband connections. If you are behind a network firewall, why not click here to view a flash file of the video. You do need to have the flash plugin.

Challenges and dilemmas

• Finding ways to promote the importance and value of the outdoor environment to all those involved in the setting, for example, the senior management team, other professionals, staff and parents.
• Meeting the needs of children of different ages in a shared outdoor space.
• Overcoming problems in accessing and using the outdoor environment because of the design or organisation of the building.
• Ensuring the indoor environment is 'homely' enough to feel comfortable while providing an environment suitable for learning.

Video

Playing with sand and water — In the outdoor area on a rainy day at a pre-school, a practitioner explores the effects of water on sand with two children. [transcript]

You can watch the video via modem or slow / fast / superfast broadband connections. If you are behind a network firewall, why not click here to view a flash file of the video. You do need to have the flash plugin.

Reflecting on practice

• What support is available to practitioners who may feel 'drained' emotionally when a child requires extensive support for their feelings of sadness, anger or frustration?
• How well do you reflect examples of outdoor learning in your observations and assessments of children?
• Does indoor provision meet the needs of all the children as both a place to feel 'at home' and a place to learn?
• How do you ensure that the deployment of staff is flexible enough to respond to the flow and movement of children between indoors and outdoors?

Video

Playing with sand and water — In the outdoor area on a rainy day at a pre-school, a practitioner explores the effects of water on sand with two children. [transcript]

You can watch the video via modem or slow / fast / superfast broadband connections. If you are behind a network firewall, why not click here to view a flash file of the video. You do need to have the flash plugin.