Unit 9.6 The outdoor environment

Research shows, that if the outdoor environment has not gone through much planning, just as you do for the indoor setting, more accidents and more conflicts with the children will occur. It is not enough to just send children out to play and to view the outdoor time like recess in school are playing outside. Child care providers need to offer more than the usual slides, tricycles and balls. To enhance outdoor play child care providers can offer activities, toys and natural materials that foster creative play.

Many activities can start either indoors or outdoors. You can complete them in the other environment.

Gardening activities can become science and cooking activities, even social activities when you finally sit together and eat the fruits of our labour.

Art and science activity that started inside the child care can become the creation of the next outdoor play materials.

Music, rhymes and stories can become ideas for spontaneous movement activities. Create streamers, hats and scarves; be involved in your community festival days.

Creative art is an expression of our emotions and can become a form of communication with the greater public about Social Justice.

All of the above ideas support imaginative and dramatic play, problem solving and risk taking, exploring with the senses and the natural environment.

They teach social skills, enhance self-esteem and promote critical thinking.