2. outlook • MAY 2007
playnotes January 2009
Early Years Outdoors
Outdoors in all seasons chalking around them and observing what
happens as they evaporate; make bubbles
in puddles using washing up liquid and
Being able to go outdoors whatever the Making the most of the food colouring. If your outdoor area
season not only helps early years settings doesn’t gather water, create your own
make the most of their outdoor space, but seasons puddles by filling builders’ trays with water
also gives children the opportunity to have Children learn best through hands-on, (for more ideas on water play, see ‘Further
different outdoor experiences, depending experiential opportunities, and the resources’).
on the time of year. From splashing in changing seasons offer a vast range of If you are lucky enough to have snow use
puddles in winter and sorting seeds in experiences that can help them discover black paper and magnifiers for catching
spring, to exploring snail trails in the more about the world they live in. and examining snowflakes. Provide scoops,
autumn and making kites in the summer, Here are some fun and stimulating ideas shovels, rakes and twigs for mark making.
every season offers its own unique to help you take advantage of the changing Corks, sticks and bottle tops are good
opportunities to increase a child’s seasons to deliver the curriculum outdoors resources to decorate snowmen. Watery
knowledge and understanding of the whatever the weather. paint is fun for colouring snow. If it doesn’t
world in which they live. snow, you can always pretend – use sheets
This Playnotes will look at: Outdoors in winter to make igloos and/or give children an idea
● how to make the most of the seasons This is a great season for experiencing of what snow feels like by letting them
for hands-on experiential learning, extreme elements. explore false snow (see ‘Further resources’).
whatever the season. Weather Stock up on a variety of Growing Provide appropriate sized
containers and buckets, absorbent spades, rakes and spoons for children to
● the problems practitioners face when
(sponges) and non-absorbent (plastic) prepare the soil for sewing seeds in the
using their outdoor area in all seasons.
materials to collect, channel, transport and spring. Tasks could include tidying up the
● how to overcome these problems. measure rainfall. Explore puddles: try beds and removing the weeds.
LEARNING THROUGH LANDSCAPES
3. playnotes • JANUARY 2009 painting with water and exploring
evaporation.
Weather On warm windy days take
the parachute outside and/or let the
children explore wind with lengths of
different size material, ribbons and
feathers. Paper bags make good kites too.
Have fun discovering if any other materials
are good for flying. Observe clouds – why
are some white, some grey? How are they
formed? Explore the water cycle; create a
cloud collage.
Outdoors in autumn
From discovering the colours of leaves and
fruits to finding out more about harvest
time, autumn is a bountiful season.
Nature Why do some trees lose their
leaves? Encourage the children to look
carefully at leaves, discovering their
different shapes (see also ‘Further
resources’). Can they find out which trees
they come from? Discover also conkers in
their prickly shells and compare them with
acorns and sycamore seeds. Look at leaves
and identify different autumn colours; mix
paints to match. Explore mark making
Wildlife Talk about wildlife and how with mud and water and different sized
small creatures survive in winter. What bowls.
can you do to help? Provide logs, dead Wildlife Explore worms, observe how
wood, a patch of carpet or piles of mulch they move, make a wormery. Which
to attract mini beasts such as woodlice, animals are getting ready to hibernate?
beetles, spiders, centipedes, snails and Using a variety of resources, explore
worms. Make bird feeders and fill with making a hedgehog house (see ‘Further
bird feed – use a selection of different resources’ for more information). If the
containers then observe which one works weather is wet, you’ll find plenty of snails
the best. If you have a pond, look at outdoors – observe them moving across
preparing it ready for frogs in the spring black paper and discover their silvery trails.
(for more ideas on wildlife see ‘Further Growing Discuss harvest time and
resources’). how farmers work hard to gather the food.
Read harvest stories. Set up a role play
Outdoors in spring farmers’ market. Encourage observational
The outdoors in springtime provides lots drawing of harvest fruit and veg. Sow
of opportunities for children to make ‘green’ manure seeds (see ‘Further
discoveries about new life. resources’) in vegetable beds ready for
Growing As the ground warms up turning over in the spring and working
you can start growing from seed – ideal Outdoors in summer into the soil. Get new plants – perennials,
for supporting numeracy when sorting, Keep the children safe and at the same trees – established ready for growing in
matching and comparing size. Choose time educate them about caring for the spring.
annual flowers for a splash of summer themselves in the sun by having a
colour. Get some herbs on the go but selection of sun hats, parasols, pop-up sun Your setting in all seasons
keep indoors until June (for more ideas on shades and sun cream to hand. In an ideal early years environment,
growing see ‘Further resources’). Sunlight Sunglasses and pieces of free-flow allows children to make choices
Wildlife Spot the birds appearing in cellophane allow children to look at the about the activities they want to take part
your garden. Bring in a bird’s nest and get world in different shades and colours. Use in, and whether they want to be indoors
the children to try making their own with CDs, prisms and foil trays to discover or outdoors.
different resources. Talk about baby about reflection. Some settings, however, may face a
animals and their homes, for example, Warmth On hotter days see how variety of problems that make using their
and the life cycles of butterflies and frogs. quickly ice can melt when you put it in outdoors in all seasons difficult. Here’s
Investigate eggs – different sizes, patterns different areas of your setting. Freeze how to identify potential obstacles, and
etc. Discuss which animals are coming out water coloured with food colouring to ideas on how to overcome them.
of hibernation. make coloured ice cubes, then let the
Nature Go on a nature walk – look for children use them to make marks on paper Weather
buds and blossom on trees, and see if you or the ground. Find ways of staying cool – Whatever the season, the weather in
can spot any bulbs peeping through the make a variety of materials available for Britain can be very unpredictable. With the
ground. Collect some items that the wind creating cool, shady dens and enjoy water right kind of resources, however, the many
has blown down and explore further play with resources such as hose pipes and variations of our changeable climate can
through conversation and observational water sprinklers. Provide a selection of be a valuable resource that supports
drawings. decorator’s brushes, rollers and buckets for children’s play. The key is being prepared.
OUTDOORS IN ALL SEASONS