Oct 13, 2011 | Play Resources
Every good idea is worth sharing. When I was undertaking my Skogsmulle training course, we were shown how to make a tripod very quickly and easily, in less than a minute… The trick is to put your three poles on the ground and loosely weave the poles together...
Jul 31, 2011 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Play Resources
A few weeks ago I blogged about a presentation given by Rusty Keeler. I’m still reflecting on the ideas he suggested, in particular relating to the cultural traditions and heritage of a local area and thinking about this in relation to the school grounds and...
Jul 4, 2011 | Play Resources
Outdoor seats are a necessity in most Scottish schools. To begin with, there are lots of wet surfaces owing to current or recent rain. Sitting on wet grass, tarmac or benches is unpleasant and often used as an excuse for not working outside. This “bag” is...
Jun 15, 2011 | Play Resources
Today I was working in a school that wanted me to do quick outdoor challenges with all its classes as part of its activity week. This gave me an opportunity to try out an idea that many play workers frequently give me on courses: a rope trail. This is not something I...
Mar 16, 2011 | Early Years Outdoors, Play Resources
Every piece of masking tape tells a story. From where it first came off the roll, how long it was made, where it was stuck, how it was gathered and where it came to rest. Most importantly it is the story of play with creativity, exploration, investigation and...
Mar 12, 2011 | Early Years Outdoors, Play Resources
Generally I’m quite tight with my money. I don’t like buying stuff that rapidly disappears. I go for longevity and robustness. So my love affair with masking tape is an exception to this self-imposed rule. Masking tape is amazing. For a strip of sticky...
Mar 8, 2011 | Early Years Outdoors, Play Resources
The use of a big old climbing rope was an experiment for me. Just over a year ago I thought I would see what would happen if pre-school children started playing with a rope. The health and safety paranoid queen that lurks within me catastrophised like crazy…...
Mar 2, 2011 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Early Years Outdoors, Play Resources
Over the past few years, I have come to favour certain items for outdoor play. Guttering ranks highly for many reasons. Some children get completely absorbed in the exploration of the possibilities. As the possibilities are endless, then so is the exploration and so...
Feb 20, 2011 | Early Years Outdoors, Play Resources
I’m wondering if it is possible to buy blue tarp in most countries world-wide. This universal plastic weave sheet must be a ubiquitous necessity in all pre-schools that value outdoor play. One key reason for being outside is that it’s possible to play on a...
Dec 2, 2010 | Art & Music Outdoors, Nature Play & Learning, Play Resources
Ever since childhood I have been an occasional collector of sea glass when going for beach walks. Some beaches are better than others. I rarely find a piece on the NE coast of Scotland. But further north, along the Moray Coast and on the south-west coast I have more...
