DIY Adventure Playground – Creative Constructions in Wood
At a festival or event near you, there’s may be a lot of hammering, sawing and building by children and adults. Several years ago, on the edge of the Meadows, passersby were able to witness the growth of an adventure playground under the watchful eye of Woodland...Nettle Soup
The one activity my son remembers from his nursery days was making nettle soup. He recalls the excitement of wearing tough gloves and not believing he wouldn’t be stung in the mouth when he ate the soup. Spring is the time of year for making nettle soup. Young...10+ Simple Resources for Outdoor Learning You Can Make With Your Class
Most schools are feeling the pinch in terms of having money to spend on resources and equipment. Thankfully, working outside does not have to rely on expensive kits. Here’s a selection you can make from cardboard, paper and other easily available materials. Your...40+ Suggestions for Exploring Rotation Outside
When you write a book, one of the interesting challenges is deciding what needs to be included and what should be omitted. It’s never an easy task. One concept that I felt I didn’t do justice to in Messy Maths, was that of rotation. Thus I thought it would be good to...The Junk Orchestra Outdoor Music Space
In 2013 I had the privilege of working at Broadford Primary School in Romford. The school had put a lot of effort into developing its school grounds. An outdoor music area had been installed and I really liked what I saw. ©Saul and The Junk Orchestra Fixed...Creating DIY Tree Baskets from Willow
There is an irony about travelling to Canada to attend a workshop to learn about a practice that stems from the British Isles. As part of the IPA Canada 2017 conference, Evergreen staff provided a more natural approach to the use of loose parts. Evergreen is a...Making felted seats with young children
Previously I blogged about making felt seats. These items are lightweight and portable and thus ideal for many outdoor activities on the go. I’ve continued to experiment with them. My first attempts were rough and I learned a lot through trial and error. The...10+ Ideas for Windy Days
Wind is about the movement of air. It’s the result of differences in air pressure. Air likes to move from areas of high pressure to low pressure. This can be demonstrated with a balloon. Inside a blown-up balloon are lots of molecules – many more than...Give your old tarp a mathematical makeover
Do you have an old worn out tarp tucked away in a cupboard or shed, collecting dust and guilt? I never liked to throw away a tarp as it’s a sheet of plastic and will take a long time to rot in a landfill site. When I was writing the draft of my Messy Maths book,...Rainbow Maths Sticks
The mathematical potential of a stick never ceases to amaze me. Back in 2014, I had a bright idea which is remarkably simple and came about owing to overhearing someone mention colour coding. You get some sticks. You paint the ends different colours. You play with...Art, Design, Maths and Playground Markings
Several years ago, I came across this photo on the Playscapes blog which blew my mind. It had so much to it, that I’m still trying to take stock of its potential, fun and relevance to schools everywhere. It is the work of Simon and Tom Bloor. It can be found at...The Mathematics of Festive Crafts
The run-up to the end of this term is usually a hectic event. In between the parties and performances, there’s lots going on. It also means that using the festive opportunities to recap and review work undertaken earlier can be one way of working a little...A Christmas Walk
One of my favourite aspects of the festive season are Christmas lights. In my blog of Christmas activities, I mention the joys of going for a walk when sun goes down and the lights go on. As a child, looking at all the window displays and Christmas trees lit up...St Andrew’s Day – 10 Outdoor Celebrations
30th November – St Andrew’s Day – is regarded as Scotland’s National Day. Increasing number of people living in Scotland make the most of the day to celebrate Scottish traditions and culture. I rather like that Saint Andrew is the...10 Ways to Use Stuff Sustainably in Education
Several years ago, Sarah Lazarovic created the wonderful illustration, the Buyerarchy of Needs. It has always resonated with me, because I am aware of how resources dominate many educators’ thinking. There has been a trend towards removing plastic resources and...8 Easy Minibeast Habitats Young Children Can Make
When children go bug hunting, many often want to create homes for minibeasts. Any measures which improve the biodiversity of an outdoor space help. Creating a range of habitats will help attract more creatures into the grounds. In the photo above, this minibeast...15+ Alternatives to Using Laminated Sheets Outside
When I left teaching college in the early Nineties, laminated sheets were not used. If we really needed something covered we had to use stickyback plastic. It was expensive and you learned to develop the knack of avoiding lines and bubbles appearing. In my outdoor and...Composting
I visit a lot of schools who like the idea of a compost bin and have one, but in terms of really using it, are a little unsure about what they are doing. The trick is to prepare in advance. Composting is not a spur-of-the-moment activity for a supply teacher....9 Tips for Using iPads Outside
“Where’s the games?” When children explore my iPad, this question always arises. The contents on my iPad are not what children expect. It is almost entirely a range of apps for use outside. Once children fathom this out, one of two things...
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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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