Enhancing your outdoor provision

15 ways to enhance your outdoor provision

As it is an Ofsted requirement that children have access to outdoor play, it is highly important that the outdoor provision provides just as much learning as the indoors if not more. All children enjoy playing outside and exploring their surroundings. Through carefully planning and using resources efficiently the outdoors can provide children with vast learning opportunities benefiting may areas of their learning and development. Many people suggest that some children learn better outside than opposed to inside, this is often the case with boys.

The outdoor provision can be a place where children can fully immerse in all types of learning, whether this is developing their gross more skills, or learning about living creatures or sharing a story in the cosy den area. An outdoor area is a great place for practitioners to offer children activities on a larger scale. Some children will prefer to participate in activities outdoors as there are fewer distractions and background noise. Children who are often shy and quiet will often come out of their shell once outside. Many childcare settings see their outdoor provision as an extension of the indoors, that children access no matter the weather.

It can be hard ensuring that activities and resources used in the outdoors are appropriate for all ages Some settings have a dedicated area for babies with dedicated resources for this age group. If the outdoor provision is shared amongst the nursery careful consideration into what resources and equipment offered is crucial. Many open ended resources are great for all ages children as the play is guided by children’s imagination.

Below is a list of resources or equipment you can offer in your outdoor provision that can be used for all ages of children.

• Water Wall – There are many resources you can use to create this such as plastic tubes, funnels, water cans, buckets plastic bottles. You can either fix these to a piece of trellis or a wooden pallet. Children of all ages will enjoy pouring water down these tubes and collecting it in the buckets below. Don’t forget to place some plastic tubes down low enough for the younger children, or you could create one water wall for the baby area and a larger one for the older children.

• Mud Kitchen – A mud kitchen is a definite must for outdoors. These can be easily made from wooden pallets, old wooden units, and kitchen sinks, or why not place two tyres side by side and insert some plastic bowls. Children will spend hours playing with this resource, developing their imagination skills.
• Using tyres for small world – Visit your local tyre place to get some tyres as these are great for using for small world play. Fill the tyre with soil and add your dinosaurs or what every resource you like.  This is an ideal low-level small world area for all ages of children.
• Using sheets of material and pegs – Creating cosy areas is important as children need a place to go and recharge their batteries, having a cosy area allows children time to reflect on their learning.

• Low-level wooden boxes –  You can either buy these already made or make them from decking boards, These low-level boxes are great as they can be filled with sensory resources such as pasta, lentils, sand. For children who are cruising around furniture, these are ideal as they can lean against them and access the resources, whilst strengthing their leg muscles.
• Sensory area – Why not create a sensory area in your garden this can be as simple as hanging wind chimes from trees, adding mirrors to a wall. You can use tuff spot trays on the floor filled with different sensory resources.
• Maths area – It is important that maths is incorporated into the environment; however some settings have a set maths area outside. Why not incorporate natural materials such as twigs, stones, shells fir cones into your maths area and add resources such plants pots with numbers on, weighing scales, muffin tins. All of these open ended resources are ideal for helping develop children’s maths skills as well as their imagination and creativity.
• Cable drums – Cable drums can be used for many purposes, they are ideal as they are low for young children to stand against. Why not cover them with artificial grass and make this a base for small world play.
• Large round plant pots – Why not purchase some large round plant pots and create a fairy garden using natural materials. There is no reason why young children can not access this just be careful of any small pieces
• Bug Hotel – These can be easily made from old wooden pallets, pieces of wood, ceramic plant pots. Having a bug hotel in your garden will provide children with the opportunities to learn about living creatures and how to care for them.
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• Outdoor stage – Using decking boards why not create a stage for children to dance on and express themselves.
• Using reclaimed resources – Ask parents if they have any reclaimed resources such plastic crates, wooden planks and old tyres, these are great open-ended resources that children will play with for hours.
• Musical Wall – Using old pots and pans, cake tins, etc. fix these to the wall to create an outdoor musical wall. Many other household items can be added to this, or  you can purchase some manufactured musical instruments.
• low mirrors – Most children enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror especially babies so make sure you position these low enough.

What other resources and equipment do you provide in your outdoor area and are these accessible for all ages?