The benefits of outside learning
- EI Editor Posted On Jul 8, 2014 | Early Years
My daughter ‘Squirt’ loves being outside, she’ll happily play for hours in the garden, at the beach, and she loves nothing more than a play park! She enjoys it so much; it’s easy to sneak in some fun learning activities without her even noticing she’s learning!
We all know the benefits of being outside; fresh air, exercise, vitamin D and the boosts to children’s immunity, needless to say how much extra space there is out there! Whether it’s the school playground or at home in your back garden, the activity ideas and resources are endless! My niece particularly enjoys the 'jumpoline’ (trampoline!) and we can see her coordination and balance have already improved.
Toys that require new skills, encourage the development of self-confidence and encourage exploration. I gave 'Squirt’ some Helping Hands Fine Motor Tools to use outside in her sand and water tray to improve her motor skills & build the strength in her hands. She’s learning scissor skills at nursery, so I thought the Handy Scoopers would help. Well the learning didn’t stop there! She explored the entire garden with the Handy Scoopers to see what was small enough to fit through the holes! Stones, soil, insects and flowers were all tested out and it became a little measuring activity!
This set combines four of our finest Learning Resources tools, great for children as young as 2. They’re great for encouraging exploration both inside and out.
Teachers, with the new curriculum coming into place in September, are you planning more outside learning at your education setting? We’d love to hear your ideas for taking your lessons outside!
We have some great resources for taking hands-on learning outside, and you can view the entire range of outdoor play resources on our website. Dino Construction Companyâ„¢ vehicles have been very popular with both parents and teachers for outside learning and play. They are powered by children, so not motorised or controlled by a remote. There are four different dino vehicles in the set; Wrecker the T-Rex Skid Loader, T-Top the Triceratops Bulldozer, Spike the Ankylosaurus Steam Roller and Boom the Brachiosaurus Backhoe! Each dinosaur features a range of hand-powered mechanisms and the dinosaur track treads are great for making tracks in sand or dirt!
Mummy Blogger, Mummy Bird provided us with her review of Wrecker the T-Rex Steer Loader. Not only did her son love it, but her daughter did too! Little Bird even tried out the dino vehicle helping to dig up his Nanny’s patio! The full review can be found on her blog at mummybird.com
Make the most of outside learning and get the little ones outside!
Until next time…
Laura
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Spring Clean Your Classroom
Visual Appeal
Teacher’s often take great pride in creating the best possible learning environment, and when done so effectively, it will help children to develop a sense of ownership towards their classroom and their school. Warm colours such as red and green combined with natural lighting can create a stimulating environment for children to learn. Colourful displays and schedules are great for keeping organised and alleviating anxiety through visual cues.
Interactivity
Elements of the classroom that invite participation such as learning calendar’s and attendance charts will help children to feel part of a community and feel positive about their surroundings. Resources that give children the confidence to interact such as answer buzzers will ensure that each child in your class has the ability to speak and be actively listened to, improving self-esteem.
Sensory Input
Children discover the world through their senses, so creating an environment with a mixture of sensory resources will keep children focused. Each pupil will have different sensory preferences so it is good to tailor tasks to suit specific needs, for example creating a quiet area with bean bags and quiet music for soothing pupils that are restless.
Minimising Distractions
Keeping the classroom tidy and organised will minimise visual distractions for your class. It can be difficult to keep track of each child’s work so organisation stations that provide a pocket for each individual will allow you to keep track of finished and unfinished work. Wipe-clean pockets are also a great way to complete paper based activities as they can be re-used and mistakes can be easily corrected which removed the fear of ‘getting it wrong’, also helping to boost self-esteem.
Time flies when having fun!
Keeping track of timed activities can be a difficult task, especially if the class is divided into groups. Time trackers are a great way to let children know how much time they have left, so that you don’t have to watch the clock! With miniature options for group tasks and larger options for whole class activities; visual warnings, digital displays and sound cues help children to make better use of their time during tasks, tests and experiments.
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