Bug Off: The Game of Outdoor Warfare
Last week I had the privilege of interviewing Tom Hall, 14yr-old Games Designer, and joining him and his family for a game of Bug Off. Tom has spent over two years developing the game and refining the rules and design. It is currently designed for 2-4 players, but...Pokémon Go – 7 Game-changing Approaches to Learning Outside
In 2016 I spent a lot of time on the road. I’ve had the privilege of working in many different areas of Australia before visiting several international schools in Hong Kong. I was briefly back home before joining the Education Iceland study trip and conference....A Recycled Xmas Tree
A guest blog post from Andrea Stevenson. I was truly inspired by a recent Creative STAR post about giving new life to a Christmas tree which would otherwise have been thought of as rubbish. The first thing we decided to do was cut off all of the branches leaving short...10 Ideas for Exploring Clouds
“A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed. It feels an impulsion. This is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see...Hawthorn Fruit Leather
Every autumn or spring, I like to try something new or different to make with foraged or grown fruit and berries. I’ve tried making rosehip syrup which was lovely. This year I managed to be sufficiently organised to try my hand at making a fruit leather. You can...Re-using Paper – Origami Seed Packets
Recently I blogged about making seed packets from unwanted books. This is a brilliant concept in that it’s an informal approach to children continuing to interact with text in a way that is short, sweet and fun. When I posted this blog, Mark Paterson, the...The Kelpies
It is impossible to ignore The Kelpies. These huge sculptures immediately attract your attention when driving past Falkirk on the M9 motorway. Finally Scotland has a piece of roadside public art with a “wow” factor. They are unmissable, unforgettable and...The Hobbit House at Highway Farm
When I visited Highway Farm in October, the Hobbit House immediately grabbed my attention. It is a beautiful, bespoke structure. Naturally I had to find out the story behind its existence. At Highway Farm Activity Centre – where there is an out of school club...Outdoor Snacks and Drinks
‘”Hot soup was a jolly good idea, it’s so very cold this morning but then it’s very early, the sun is only just coming up – look!” They finished their breakfast watching the blue water turn to dancing gold, even the rocks gleamed in...A Simple Shack
Recently I came across a series of simple shacks being built for an event. They were created from locally cut saplings in the village of Nida in Lithuania. I really liked the simplicity of the construction and felt it could be a useful project for older children who...The Weather Vanes of Nida
Most weather vanes are basic affairs. They are an arrow which points in the direction of the wind and with the compass directions at the bottom. The designs are usually fairly traditional stuff. All-in-all, my excitement levels about weather vanes has never been...Peg Loom Seats
Several years ago I blogged about peg loom weaving. This may not seem obviously outdoorsy but it is. The looms are simple to use and any long strands can be woven through the pegs including plastic bags, long grasses, plant stems and gathered wool. The looms are very...Repurposing Charity Bags into Dance Resources
Do you have a growing collection of charity bags which get popped through your door each week? If you do, and you don’t have any particular plans for them, perhaps it’s time to put them to good use as outdoor dance items. Several years ago I was...Shadow Explorations with an iPad
Have you ever got that feeling that you aren’t making the most of a resource? Ever since I bought my mini iPad I knew I hadn’t done enough experimenting with Photo Booth. I had given classes opportunity to freely play with Photo Booth and its effects. The...Funky Junk Art
Many years ago I was training at Malvern Way Infant and Nursery School in Rickmansworth. At the time, they had been developing their grounds for the past 8 years under the leadership of a head teacher, Janet English, who retired in 2014. This included giving children...Temporary Shelters in School Grounds
Recently I blogged about my experience of creating suitable shelters when on beach visits with a nursery. I realised as I was gathering photos together that I had examples of other temporary shelters which practitioners use with children, many of which are suitable...Den Building
What’s your idea of a den? I worked largely in tarmac playgrounds and school grounds which often had few trees suitable for den building. The dens I saw children build tended to be reliant on boxes, lattice tunnels and attached to fences or a line of rope tied...Flying Discs – All Work and All Play
Many traditional toys provide the ideal introduction to the principles of physics. Concepts that are hard to explain can be illustrated through experimentation. This blog post considers the benefits of playing with a variety of flying disks. Playing with frisbees is a...Seafood Investigations
Many years ago I had a wonderful few days holiday over on the West Coast of Scotland. My family and I stayed at the Pier House Hotel in Port Appin which wins lots of awards for being friendly, welcoming and having an amazing seafood restaurant. On the last night, to...
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Recent Posts
Story Stones and Thinking SkillsA little stone can give a lot of empowerment in a funny sort of way.
Outdoor Toilets and ChildrenWhen children need to go they need to go!
Hand hygiene outdoorsRemoving one of the barriers to working outside with groups.
12 reasons to have stumps in your outdoor spaceStumped for ideas? Check out this blog post about why every school needs a stump or several!
Dunblane Nature Kindergarten – A transformation from traditional to nature-based practiceFantastic example of positive impact of nature-based practice.
Legacy and LossWhat’s your professional and personal impact?
Education Scotland Outdoor Learning Webinars FREE to viewLots of free outdoor learning webinars all in one place from Education Scotland
Out to Play 12: Caring for Our Outdoor SpacesJust published. Time-saving links and a download.
Compass Points – Outdoor Suggestions15+ ways to learn about compass directions – all in a download.
7 Conker Games and AdviceEvery school needs a conker tree
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