Young boy exploring nature in a meadow with a magnifying glass looking for insects
We all love to get outside and feel the grass between our toes, watch the leaves change colours or smell the scent of flowers in the air… but too often we take these experiences for granted. We do not consider the impact this can have on young children’s well-being.
The EYLF talks a lot about “bringing the outside in” or “creating natural play spaces”. Have you considered what this really means or looks like? By creating special spaces inside and outside where children can explore natural materials, design and construct using sticks, leaves, river pebbles and tree cookies opens up a whole new way of thinking about and experiencing their environment.
These open ended resources provide unlimited opportunity for creative and sustained play, where children engage in different types of conversations, usually more complex as they negotiate, plan and design, predict and collaborate.
These experiences introduce children to concepts of sustainability where we can facilitate conversations around respecting and caring for the environment.
Appreciation of the outdoor environment
Appreciation of the outdoor environment needs to be evident in the outdoor play setups…. this time of the day allows children to think big, play large and problem-solve infinitely! The use of inexpensive natural resources, uneven grounds and endless possibilities enables children to explore physical play in a more challenging and exciting way, supporting their physical skills and emotional and mental well-being.
Think about your environment- do children have access to natural materials inside? Are there pebbles, pine cones, drift wood in the block area? Are there fresh flowers or plants inside? Do you have a veggie garden or any type of garden children can care for? Are the only opportunities for physical skill development via trestles and balance beams? Is your sandpit full of colourful plastic?
There are many ways we can provide real experiences for children, building connections between them and nature- we just need to get creative!
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