Whole School Approaches to Developing Outdoor Learning and Play

In this section you will find lots of practical guidance to help you embed outdoor learning at a whole school level from nursery through to Primary 7 (Year 6). It covers the “soft” skills such as consulting stakeholders, overcoming mindset and issues that commonly arise. There’s also examples of how different schools and nurseries have moved their outdoor practice forwards.

To avoid duplication, I’m trying to limit where blog posts are listed. You are strongly advised to have a look at the other pages listed in the RH column of this website as there is lots relevant to a whole school approach.

Getting started

• 100’s of wonderful outdoor and nature-based ideas. A collection of ideas and suggestions from different outdoor organisations compiled to support schools during lockdown but equally valid at any time.
• Education Scotland Outdoor Learning webinars – free to view on a range of themes. Each is approximately one hour in length.
• “Outdoor learning” or “learning outdoors”. What’s the difference? Clearing up some myths in Scotland and going back to what the documents tell us.
• Looking back to look forward to the new year. A useful blog post for the start of any year with questions to help you reflect on your current outdoor practice as a team and where you would like to be.
• Significant Scottish outdoor learning and play documents. All in the one place for quick reference and to ensure your practice is on track. There is also a specific blog post that summarises the content of Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning.
• Outdoor Classroom Day – 10 reasons to get involved. Sometimes a specific day or celebration can help motivate all teachers to get their class outside.
• Accreditations, awards and outdoor learning. Gaining recognition for your efforts to improve different aspects of outdoor learning can be motivating… or a lot of hoops to jump through. Read first before signing up for a scheme.
• 10 reasons why teachers like learning outdoors in Scotland. Yes, teachers often find being outside can refresh their own practice and provide a new lease of life.
• A place for procrastination. Why waiting and observing how your school grounds are used can save money and hassle.
• Playground Games and Why It’s Worth Every Educator Knowing Some and Using Them. This is a lovely way to get teachers and classes outside and thus introduced to learning outside, especially at the start of a new year.
• Outdoor learning and play: FREE podcasts and webinars. Links to organisations that have series – I’m included but the whole range from each organisation is potentially useful professional development. Enjoy!
• What’s your coffee worth? Why education consultants and trainers cost what they do. Some advice and myth-busting around the use of external partners when undertaking new developments.
• Outdoor learning and play – 12 tips when seeking funding or grants. Advice learned over many years.
• 9 tips for using iPads outdoors – for ELC practitioners and teachers. Some practical advice learned over many years.
• 10+ simple DIY resources for outdoor learning. Get your class to make their own resources. Ideal for skinted not minted schools.

Outdoor clothing and weather matters

Note: During Covid-19 pandemic, all the outdoor clothing boxes were distributed to schools an ELC settings in Aberdeen City. So they are no longer available to borrow.

• Outdoor clothing in schools, early learning and childcare settings. Thinking sustainably, taking a considered view and takes account of children’s choice, needs and preferences.
• Working outside in all weathers. Outdoor clothes for adults. Often the problem is adults are not suitably clothed for being outside, let alone the children in primary schools.
• Drying and managing wet clothes. Nursery or primary – this is always an issue for consideration.
• Should children wear high visibility vests? The debate can be fierce but this detailed post looks at the facts and stats rather than making assumptions.
• Outdoor clothing boxes. The experience of ensuring children trial different types of outdoor clothing matters.
• Indoor or wet breaks. The curiosity of primary schools needing to stay inside when other sectors enable their children and young people to get out.

Schools and nurseries that have undertaken outdoor developments

• A whole school approach to outdoor learning. An example from St. Geradine’s Primary School in Lossiemouth.
• Upper Sturt Primary – an outdoor school. An example of how a state school in South Australia works predominantly outside. Also have a look at their BIO learning approach for topic work and finding out children’s interests so that they lead their learning.
• Crianlarich Maths Trailblazers. How one school used maths as a focus for improving their outdoor practice.
• Lunchtime play at Inverallochy School. Three years after developing the school grounds, this post looks at how lunchtimes have changed. Good case study reading.
• Congratulations Middleton Park Primary School. An excellent HMIe inspection that highlights how the outdoors has been used as a specific approach to raising attainment.
• Keeping parents informed about outdoor learning. An example of a newsletter from Inverallochy School that provided regular and frequent updates to parents and engaged the whole community in supporting the development of the outdoor space.
• Dunblane Nature Kindergarten – a transformation from a traditional to a nature-based practice. It’s so much more than ditching the plastic! Read all about it here!
• Outdoor art at KapKa Cooperative School. Using art to celebrate rites of passage and to enhance the outdoor space.
• Highway Farm and Little Explorers Outdoor Pre-school. One of the most inspirational outdoor nurseries I have visited. A dynamic and happening place. Well worth a read, regardless of your nursery provision.
• Outdoor play at Cowgate Under 5’s Centre. A snapshot in time (2010) of this forward-thinking urban nursery. Whilst this post doesn’t represent current practice, it can be helpful for you to see how practice evolves over the years. With the right leadership a setting continues to flourish and grow.

Mind over matter – overcoming perceived challenges to getting outside

• Outdoor toilets and children. What you need to know when you need to go outside.
• Hand hygiene outdoors. An in-depth look at the issues and what needs to be offered as part of your approach.
• Valuing the outdoors in nursery. How to raise the profile of your outdoor provision and increase the amount of time outside with tweaks to your current practice.
• Demonstrating school values in the grounds. Your outdoor space is exudes your school values and important messages the value its outdoor space. Time to ensure these synch.
• Sandpits – challenging myths and misconceptions. Every school needs a massive sandpit. This blog post considers the concerns raised and provides practical suggestions and links to photos of lots of different sandpits.
• Tyres in school grounds: myth-busting blog post. Sensible advice and information. Read first before getting tyres.
• Environmental services. What support does your local authority offer schools and nurseries for free? Here’s an example of what’s on offer in Aberdeen.
• Health and safety. Have you heard the latest…? Ever noticed how quickly the rumours spread? Always check what’s written down and how it’s being interpreted.
• Do you have a poisonous plant in your school garden? Quite probably… read on to find out why it doesn’t have to be an issue.
• The good, the bad and the fungi. No need to worry either about mushrooms.
• Woozy wasps. Teaching your children to behave sensibly around wasps and bees. Adults too!
• Primary One outdoors. Some practical considerations around enabling this to happen even in less than ideal situations.
• Interruptions – a hindrance or help to learning? Why distractions when working outside are not necessarily a bad thing.
• 12 tips for accessing outdoor learning and play funding. Advice about applying for grants and what funds are out there!

Parent, Carers and Families

• Learning right before my eyes – family are key to education and supporting children. This blog post from Lesley demonstrates how reflective thoughts can happen at home too.
• 10+ Ideas for parents who want to support outdoor learning and play . When a school will not support outdoor learning but parents are keen. Some practical suggestions.
• 10 wishes for being stuck at home but not stuck inside. Some reflective thinking and practical suggestions to ensure we get outside daily during a lockdown.
• DIY adventure playground – creative constructions in wood. Look out for a Woodland Tribe pop-up play experience near you this year!
• Backyard nature play – the transformation of a back garden into a play friendly outdoor space for children.

Cultural events and celebrations within the school year including religious and traditional festivals

• Back to school – 10 reasons to get outside the first week back. Don’t leave it until later on in the term or year. It’s also an ideal opportunity for an outdoor circle time.
• Saules Gojus – the new year starts outside. An example of a school that use its local woodland as a context for welcoming primary children back to school every September by having a 2 week immersion period. Simple, applicable idea that could be easily adapted to many other schools. The post also contains lots of photos and commentary about other areas of practice.
• Halloween:10+ fearsomely good outdoor ideas. A range of suggestions that illustrate the ease at which you can undertake cultural and/or religious events outside.
• Bonfire night – engaging families at Stramash Fort William. An annual community event provides families, past and present to meet, socialise and play in the dark!
• St Andrew’s Day – 10 Outdoor Celebrations. Our culture is rooted in the natural world, so make the most of this to celebrate Scotland’s National Saint.
• Make a wish for the New Year. A kind tradition to welcome the New Year into school.
• Buddhist prayer flags. Naturally outdoors and good for consideration as part of any study on Buddhism.
• The Clootie Tree. Inspired the Buddhist approach at Kagyu Samye Ling. Every school needs a Clootie Tree. You just need ribbons, respect and reflection.
• Zen gardens – a reflection. Another useful entry point into creating and maintaining a garden as well as link to mindfulness, meditation and other wellbeing approaches. You can create large Zen gardens but these also work well as individual trays outside or in. Ideal for a focus on Shinto or Buddhist religions.
• 10 ways to listen, tune in and simply be. Whether it’s mindfulness, meditation or ways to help children find calm and peace in the middle of their busy lives, then this post has many simple suggestions.
• How to make pace eggs. A traditional Easter custom using plant or home-based dyes. Simple and pretty.
• Love locks and school leaver locks. Taking a modern custom and adapting it for school leaving traditions.

Christmas posts

• 25 Christmas outdoor experiences for primary and early years. THE CHRISTMAS POST!!!! Loads of natural, sustainable, low cost suggestions. Always worth a look.
• A Christmas Walk. Enjoying the outdoor and seasonal displays to be seen. A lovely family or homework activity too!
• The tiny Christmas tree. Alternative approaches to the traditional Christmas tree that work well outside.
• Frozen tree decorations – and it’s not even Christmas – simple ice decorations for frosty days outside.
• All I want for my reusable Christmas. 12 days of donations and giving the gift that someone else no longer needs.
• All I want for my natural Christmas. 12 days of natural materials that aid learning and play outside
• The mathematics of festive crafts. Creating beautiful 3D objects for hanging up outside or in.
• A recycled Christmas tree. How to extend the life of a Christmas tree.
• Holly. The traditions and a story of how holly came to be associated with Christmas.
• 10 ways for schools and nurseries to re-use Christmas trees. Lots of creative ideas that aid learning and even include goats!

Reflective posts

• Simon Nicolson and the Theory of Loose Parts: 1 million thanks. A summary of his original article and ideas to provide food for thought.
• Outdoor Thunks to make your brain go “Ooh, ah and ouch!” Guest post from Independent Thinking Ltd Founder, Ian Gilbert to help you and your class think more outdoors!
• The classroom is too small. Why children need more space and freedom outside.
• Rewilding – why the wolf in sheep’s clothing? Guest post by Rob Bushby.
• Is outdoor learning in Scotland blossoming? A reflective perspective from Rob Bushby on how outdoor and learning
• Are we digital natives from a different era? Digital technology tools have been with us for decades.
• Being naughty. When a situation gets “out of control” outdoors, what do we do? An early years scenario is discussed.
• Outdoor learning – a Spanish teacher’s perspective. A view from another country.
• Progression in using places for learning and playing outdoors. As our confidence grows, so will our ability to make better use of different places for learning.
• We are the influencers! Inspiration from seemingly impossible real situations to make changes to practice using a tried and tested model.
• Wild about this space. Reflections on a much loved wild garden used by a group of children who have additional support needs.
• Metasaga – a brilliant place-based thinking framework for personal reflection in different ways on a local feature, space, place or walk. Developed by Kate Coutts.
• Sketchnoting – capturing thoughts through visual thinking works well in an outdoor context.

Fun, interesting or miscellaneous posts

• The National Curriculum Outdoors – A series of books, especially useful for KS2 to support class teachers to undertake outdoor activities. Good for educators who like step-by-step guidance.
• 10 outdoor tips for starting teaching. Wishing all newly qualified teachers the best as they begin their journey into teaching.
• Cave School. The alternative to Forest School that focuses on developing leadership outside. Early booking always advised.
• Fairies – A risk benefit assessment. Be aware. Very aware. A good example of hazards to consider which you many not have previously thought about.
• A night at the movies. Ten outdoor videos to motivate you, make you laugh or simply think about the value of getting children outside!
• Quiz: Are you an outdoor teacher? A wee multiple choice test to see how outdoorsy you actually are.
• Out to Play: Section 12: Caring for Our Outdoor Spaces. This blog post enables you to access separate parts of the document.