This inspirational toolbox offers readily accessible on-demand content on outdoor learning and risky or adventurous play that is relevant, practical and easy to apply.
Inequality in learning is an urgent issue, severely impacting in individual children’s life chances, and economies and societies around the world. There is growing evidence that learning through active (adventurous) play in the outdoors may present a solution to this problem of inequality. Many studies demonstrate the benefits of outdoor learning and learning through play, especially for early brain development – these include social, emotional, cognitive and physical benefits.
Teachers are asked to plan responsively and adopt a whole new teaching style, supporting the independent exploration and (risky) play of children in the outdoor environment. Research demonstrates how challenging this is and how many concerns this raises among teachers.
More and more, schools and teachers are looking for guidance and support to incorporate more experiential learning styles in the outdoors.
This toolbox aims to meet that need by offering a range of resources, and by sharing experiences, skills, methods and practical know-how with teachers and other relevant stakeholders.
The goal of activity is to create letters b and h using natural material. After creating them, students had to create words with these letters included. They worked in groups, so they had to cooperate. At the same time, they also did some physical exercises...
We did the activity outside, in the small forest near the school. The goal of the activity is to create foxes using natural materials and hot glue gun. At the beginning they had to construct the outdoor tables with chairs and protect tables with newspapers. They...
Children have to find shapes and 3D shapes on a playground and then they have to collect them together.[iframe width="1200" height="620" src="https://video.arnes.si/embed/93sn6x2nclbg" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen=""...
Begin with "The Three Little Pigs” story, discuss. Warm-up with the game Red Rover. Children engage in a rough and tumble outdoor adventure with a chasing game, tug of war and a huff and puff tumble activity. and Cooperative challenge to build a hula hut (Literacy,...
Begin with "Hansel and Gretel” story, discuss. Warm-up with Cat and Mouse game with parachute. Children engage in an outdoor adventure following the trail to find hidden team member. Cooperative challenge hide and seek in pairs (Literacy, Physical Education and...
Soup Making – children used vegetable peelers and knives. We made leek and potato soup. The children each peeled and cut their own potato, we added them into the pot outside on the gas hob with all of the other ingredients. The children completed an additional written...
Simple whittling to make wands for use in role play. To whittle and make the wands we used potato peelers and short branches cut from young trees. The children then used string to decorate their wands before using them in role play. [iframe width="1200" height="620"...
Identify areas of the school playground. Children begin to find the way – front, back, left and right; Children follow directions – forwards, backwards, left and right. Children are introduced to control cards: find the shape (control) and record it simply using a...
This is a grounding exercise in order to bring the children closer to nature by taking part in a barefoot walk. Children will need a towel each from home depending on time of the year. A safe space for barefoot walking (grass, soil, sand, concrete etc.).[iframe...
