It was only just yesterday my daughter and I quietly sat outside in the afternoon sun and watched fine cobwebs sway in the breeze and small insects buzz about us. We had just finished throwing the ball for our dog and picked new lemons off the lemon tree. As we sat I made the comment “I love this time of day” and my daughter responded “i just love being outside”.
This got me thinking about the significance of being outside. Not just in the context of “outdoor lay” but really “being” in the outdoor environment. 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 (as well as our own).
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 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.
But more importantly appreciation of the outdoor environment and its significance for children’s well-being and development can also be measured by how much time we spend and how we send that time outside. While experiences like the ones mentioned earlier are important we should also become more mindful in this space, where we can sit, observe and ponder the natural wonders together. Where we begin to notice small, yet very significant aspects of nature and of course acknowledge how these make us feel.
If you would like to know more please feel free to book into my on-line webinar “Creating Natural Play Spaces” on 19th May 2016. http://earlyyearstraining.com.au/workshops/staff/ or email me – kirsty@earlyyearstraining.com.au
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