Bringing the Outdoors In
Outdoor Classroom Day takes place twice a year in May and in November. Typically in the Northern hemisphere the weather in November starts to get rather wet and windy, so we have put together this guide to give you different ideas on ways you can bring the outdoors in and still benefit.
The winter months in an Education setting can be challenging especially as you don’t get much sunlight and it can feel like you’ve been stuck in the classroom all day long. Many schools now have their own forest school but not everyone is so lucky. There will still be days when you can wrap up warm and get outside and we recommend doing this as much as you can.
All environments should make children feel safe, secure and happy to be there and they should also be places where children can confidently play and learn. For those days where the weather isn’t being as kind or you don’t have outside space available to you, find below some ideas for bringing the outdoors in.
1. Connect with nature
Having resources inside the classroom that children can relate to seeing outside will stimulate the imagination and allow them to connect with the natural world. You can do this by having plant pots and flowers inside. You can also look into growing your own herbs.
2. Create an outdoor environment
Look at creating a forest school setting inside by bringing in logs, twigs, leaves and supplementing them with outdoor themed resources. Check out Kit for Kids’ Natural World™ resources for more ideas.
3. Imitate the natural world through colour
Choose neutral or earthy colours in your decorations and resources, including greens, browns and blues. These colours have a natural calming effect but also help children to relate to a memory or time they were outdoors.
4. Get your learners involved
Ask the children to describe a memory they have from being outdoors and ask them what objects they could see and what they would like to bring inside. Also ask how it made them feel and why they picked this as a memory.
5. Involve all the senses
Pick plants and resources that stimulate all the senses, such as herbs or textured leaves. Get your learners to describe a time they were outside and go through all of the senses with them. Ask them what they could see, hear, smell and feel.
The Early Years Foundation Stage recognises the importance of outdoor learning and encourages having access to outdoor space. For some, as mentioned above, it will mean thinking outside of the box. It can help to map activities against an EYFS area. Below are some activity ideas:
- PSE Development : Build relationships through outdoor games or outdoor-themed role play.
- Physical Development : Use outdoor spaces to promote health and self-care by having yoga sessions outside.
- Communication and Language : Ask your learners to talk about what they are seeing outside and describe what they are doing . Discussing the different seasons can help children to understand and deal with change in other areas of their lives.
- Literacy : Get your learners to write about an activity you have completed outside together or a recent experience at home.
- Mathematics : Incorporate numbers into outdoor tasks, such as counting how many trees are in the area.
- Understanding the World : Allow your learners to explore and understand the natural world. Grow plants in the classroom or discuss plant lifecycles and the seasons.
- Expressive Art & Design : Use materials you can find outside to create artwork , including leaves, twigs, pine cones etc. If you have access to an outside area get children to forage for their own materials.
There are so many outdoor themed activities but having a range will ensure you meet the needs of all your learners. Putting the theory of the natural world into practice, from exploring the different seasons, the weather or the science behind growing your own flowers and plants, children will benefit mentally and physically. Happy planting!