Outdoor Learning is for you too, the educator! Rebecca Burch > Nature Play QLD
A small group of children are sitting under a She-oak tree huddled together creating little mini kingdoms for their “fairy dragons”, they are using the sticks, leaves and plentiful she-oak seedpods that are scattered around them to create little homes. Another group of children are squealing in delight as they jump into a puddle repeatedly, finding joy in the water splashing up their legs. Other children have climbed the big tree and are perched among the branches. Each little nook of this natural bushland has children deeply engaged in play, full of focus and learning naturally.
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Nature Play and outdoor learning is becoming more of the norm in early childhood spaces. In the last 5 years we have seen a rapid increase in services providing Bush and Beach Kindy programs, taking children out beyond the fence to explore, discover, play and learn in community spaces. We have also seen playground structures being replaced with innovative, dynamic, flexible nature play spaces to maximise children’s learning outcomes through nature.
focus and attention span and they are more likely to engage in critical thinking skills, show initiative and build decision making skills. There is a direct correlation to more time outdoors and greater development of resilience. Socially we see children engage in increased teamwork and demonstrate collaborative skills. Outdoor play actively builds independence, fosters confidence and positive self esteem. The list goes on.
Educators are doing this because of the immense benefits to children’s learning, development and overall wellbeing. The research is clear and comprehensive and consistently tells us nature is good for our health and to spend more time in nature. For children we know nature play and learning improves their range of movement, muscle development, spatial awareness, agility and co-ordination. On top of the physical skills, outdoor experiences build children’s immune systems, increases vitamin D levels and improves eyesight. On an intellectual level, when children are engaged in learning outdoors they show increased
Whilst the benefits of nature for children are extensive, well known and frequently discussed, we don’t often hear about the benefits to educators. We are in this industry because we are caring, nurturing souls dedicated to meeting the needs of the children in our program. Our focus and attention is on providing quality education and care for children. I ask educators to pause and reflect, and really consider what makes you the best educator? What supports you in providing high quality care?
EARLY EDITION > AUTUMN 2022
