Emphasising the importance of continuity for young children, The Outdoor Classroom Ages 3–7 practically demonstrates how early years settings and schools can maximise the learning potential of the outdoor environment. Fully updated to take into account the revised EYFS and Key Stage 1 curricula and including new case studies throughout, this second edition encourages teachers and practitioners to examine and reflect on their use of the outside area to ensure they provide rich play opportunities for children that will further their learning regardless of time, space or financial restraints. Drawing on the Forest School approach, this handy text considers the practical implications for settings using the outdoor classroom and covers: the characteristics of effective learning outdoors; guidance on timetabling and planning; advice on the logistics and health and safety involved; tips for navigating parental and staff opposition; closely linked theory and practice to assessment; the social and emotional aspects of learning. Full of resources, lesson plans and activities to support rich learning opportunities, this book will inspire you to think creatively about the outside area and use its full potential to bring the outdoors alive with interest, exploration and challenge.

The outdoor environment is now an integral part of many early years settings and schools, but is it being used to its full potential? Providing extensive, challenging and ever-changing outdoor play experiences is an essential and valuable aspect of early years education. This book offers comprehensive guidance on how the outdoor environment can be used to teach and challenge all children across a range of settings drawing on forest school practice. Following a month-by-month format, each chapter provides a selection of theme-related play experiences alongside planning and evaluations of how the ideas described were carried out, and reveals the impact that they had on the children. Including detailed information on the role of the adult, the environment, planning and using children’s interests to guide their learning and development, the book features: over 100 full-colour photographs to illustrate practice diary entries that reflect how the planning was delivered, what changes were made and how aspects of learning were recorded and assessed examples of practice as well as comprehensive resource lists and safety guidelines links to indoor play and opportunities at home. Written by a leading authority on forest school practice and full of practical ideas that can be adapted to suit individual children’s needs, this book aims to inspire practitioners to make the most of the outdoor environment throughout the year.

Emphasising the importance of continuity for young children, The Outdoor Classroom Ages 3–7 practically demonstrates how early years settings and schools can maximise the learning potential of the outdoor environment. Fully updated to take into account the revised EYFS and Key Stage 1 curricula and including new case studies throughout, this second edition encourages teachers and practitioners to examine and reflect on their use of the outside area to ensure they provide rich play opportunities for children that will further their learning regardless of time, space or financial restraints. Drawing on the Forest School approach, this handy text considers the practical implications for settings using the outdoor classroom and covers: the characteristics of effective learning outdoors; guidance on timetabling and planning; advice on the logistics and health and safety involved; tips for navigating parental and staff opposition; closely linked theory and practice to assessment; the social and emotional aspects of learning. Full of resources, lesson plans and activities to support rich learning opportunities, this book will inspire you to think creatively about the outside area and use its full potential to bring the outdoors alive with interest, exploration and challenge.

The outdoor area is now an integral part of many early years settings and schools, but is it being used to its full potential? This book clearly explains the learning potential of the outdoor environment and practically demonstrates how the 'Outdoor Classroom' can be developed in early years settings and schools. Drawing on the Forest School approach, it aims to inspire practitioners to think creatively about their outside area and how they can provide rich play opportunities for children that will further their learning regardless of any time, space or financial restraints. Emphasising the importance of continuity for young children, the book shows how good practice in the early years can be built on in Reception and Key Stage 1 and covers: What is the outdoor classroom and how does it enhance children's learning? How experiences in the Outdoor Classroom can support the early years and Key Stage 1 curricula The implications for schools using the outdoor classroom including resources, timetabling, space, parental and staff opposition Guidance on planning Activities and ideas for using the Outdoor Classroom Including practical examples and detailed case studies taken from a wide range of settings and schools, this handy text will help you to get the most out of your outside area.

The outdoor area is now an integral part of many early years settings and schools, but is it being used to its full potential? This book clearly explains the learning potential of the outdoor environment and practically demonstrates how the 'Outdoor Classroom' can be developed in early years settings and schools. Drawing on the Forest School approach, it aims to inspire practitioners to think creatively about their outside area and how they can provide rich play opportunities for children that will further their learning regardless of any time, space or financial restraints. Emphasising the importance of continuity for young children, the book shows how good practice in the early years can be built on in Reception and Key Stage 1 and covers: What is the outdoor classroom and how does it enhance children's learning? How experiences in the Outdoor Classroom can support the early years and Key Stage 1 curricula The implications for schools using the outdoor classroom including resources, timetabling, space, parental and staff opposition Guidance on planning Activities and ideas for using the Outdoor Classroom Including practical examples and detailed case studies taken from a wide range of settings and schools, this handy text will help you to get the most out of your outside area.

Grab your backpack and head into the countryside for a camping adventure full of contrasts! Little ones love to try out the opposite actions as they sing and dance along. Enhanced CD includes audio singalong and video animation.

Everything you need to get started and succeed in a nature preschool or forest kindergarten.

The outdoors is full of rich learning experiences for preschool and pre-kindergarten children. Lens on Outdoor Learning is filled with stories and colorful photographs that illustrate how the outdoors supports children's early learning. Each story is connected to an early learning standard such as curiosity and initiative; engagement and persistence; imagination, invention, and creativity; reasoning and problem-solving; risk-taking, responsibility, and confidence; reflection, application, and interpretation; and flexibility and resilience. Much of the teaching in these experiences is indirect and involves provisioning, observing, and conversing with children as they spend quality time in nature. Children's dialogue and actions are included in each story to show just how engaged they became during these experiences. Lens on Outdoor Learning will inspire early childhood professionals to use this outdoor approach in their own setting. Wendy Banning is coordinator of Irvin Learning Farm, an inquiry-based, hands-on outdoor learning space for children and adults in North Carolina. She is also an educational consultant, teacher, trainer, and photographer. Ginny Sullivan is co-principal of Learning by the Yard, a partnership of landscape architects and educators that helps schools develop their grounds as habitat, focusing on native plants. Ginny consults, trains teachers, and involves schools and centers in the design of their outdoor spaces to help children learn about the natural world.

One of the keys to a happy and creative classroom is getting out of it and this book will give you the confidence to do just that. Drawing on academic research, Juliet explains why learning outdoors is so beneficial and provides plenty of tips and activities to help you to integrate outdoor learning into your teaching practice, providing a broad range of engaging outdoor experiences for your students. There is no need for expensive tools or complicated technologies: all you need is your coat and a passion for learning - oh, and you'd better bring the kids too! Topics covered include: forest schools, learning outside the classroom, outdoor education, nature activities, caring for the environment, play in schools, investigative play, urban outdoor activities, problem solving, creative thinking and strategies for supporting curriculum objectives. For all primary practitioners who want to shake up their usual classroom routine and discover the benefits of teaching outdoors. Dirty Teaching was a finalist in the Non-Fiction People's Book Prize Winter 2014 collection.

This Open Access book examines children’s participation in dialectical reciprocity with place-based institutional practices by presenting empirical research from Australia, Brazil, China, Poland, Norway and Wales. Underpinned by cultural-historical theory, the analysis reveals how outdoors and nature form unique conditions for children's play, formal and informal learning and cultural formation. The analysis also surfaces how inequalities exist in societies and communities, which often limit and constrain families' and children's access to and participation in outdoor spaces and nature. The findings highlight how institutional practices are shaped by pedagogical content, teachers' training, institutional regulations and societal perceptions of nature, children and suitable, sustainable education for young children. Due to crises, such as climate change and the recent pandemic, specific focus on the outdoors and nature in cultural formation is timely for the cultural-historical theoretical tradition. In doing so, the book provides empirical and theoretical support for policy makers, researchers, educators and families to enhance, increase and sustain outdoor and nature education.