Outside Play

[dmb85]

Hi,
I currently work in a pre-school and we are looking at the outside ares, I was just wondering what are you veiws on children playing outside in all weathers? and pre-schools and nurseries that spend most of their time outside?

Would be very happy with my two pre-school DC playingin all weathers save for a day when it it windy and raining at the same time. Other than that no problem.

Subject to appropriate clothing being available for the children (and the staff who are out on duty) AND sun protection being applied where appropriate.

At my nursery there is a free flow system where they can go in and out at will during key times. The often have story time outside too

As a thing generally I must say my DC always seem to have a much better time when they have had a good dollop of outside play.

Are you meeting parental resistance?

Coats & Hats or Sunscreen & Hats & kick them out the door [bgrin]

I would actually really like a nursery that had some outside time pretty much everyday - something quite 'compulsory' rather than just a free flow system - nothing wrong with it being alongside 'free flow' but I think some kids need to be told it's what is happening rather than it just being an option.

Ds1's preschool has a fantastic outside space, he's really outdoorsy so it's partly the reason we decided on it. They go out 95% of the time, so all weathers apart from really pouring down with rain. They have some lovely spaces like a building site with tabards and hard hats, a little hut with a little kitchen inside, etc, all mapped to eyfs. It's important for some children to run off energy so they can then focus on calmer work like drawing or listening to a story.

The more outdoor time the better.
That said, I raised this issue with one of DC preschools; the superviser/owner fully agreed with me, but said that most the other parents wanted the children to spend as much time indoors as possible doing "work"!

At the time I had DS in this (Montessori, highly graded by Ofsted preschool) part-time, and also parttime in another preschool (barely scrapped a Satisfactory in previous Ofsted). But the Satisfactory preschool had the doors set up so that they could go out as much as they pleased, in almost all weathers. Was a terrific mix for DS.

I should add DS1's preschool has just come out totally outstanding. They agree with me that outside time is v important.

Loopymumsy - I know, that's why I would look for a nursery that nodded at Ofsted a lot then did their own thing [bgrin] it would be pretty hard for Ofsted to prove that the children hadn't all chosen to go outside [bwink]

100% child-choice is not what I would want for my child, not at all.

I'm not talking about making them stay outside for 3 hours every morning, but I think a good half hour should be mandatory heavily encouraged!!

I am all for it, but being an ex pre-school committee chair I can see huge logistical problems in giving 100% child choice. Assuming you follow the rules. We had a great canopied outdoor area and we tried to do a free flow thing. But you need serious number of staff to man it - as per the must be two people with the kids at all times rule. We had 4 staff per session. So if someone outside needed a wee, and the inside staff were busy - with a parent or something, then one of the staff outside had to go inside which meant the other outside staff member and all the kids had to come in to be with the others - otherwise there would be only ONE staff member with kids outside. IT was turining into a nightmare. Would have been OK of course if the government would have paid a decent session fee per child for the 3yo voucher scheme. No good offering free places unless you are going to fund them properly. With the free places scheme wde could not afford the number of staff we needed to do EYFS properly.

Before I got involved with managing the pre-school I had NO idea what atotal nightmare it all is.

Children should be able to play(Learn) with what, and where, they want. Unfortunately it's just not possible in a lot of settings as Marge says above. With free-play nurseries are more about providing and then staffing areas. If you're a nursery with a big open plan room you can do it. If you have lot's of little rooms and a garden that isn't adjacent to it you're stuffed. My last nursery really needed 6 staff minimum to look after 16 children in free-flow.

The more the better. Ours has a great outside space - they raised loads of money and invested in the garden area big time last year. They've also converted an outbuilding to be an outdoor classroom. And they have access to a private wood in the country and take all the pre-schoolers once a week for 4 weeks each for a day in the woods - lunch in a teepee, 'big walks', using proper little saws and hammers and wheelbarrows, climbing trees etc. The children love it.

Our city also has an outdoor kindergarten, along Scandinavian lines, and it's been v popular. Most of the parents don't use it exclusively (ie they maybe send their DC once or twice a week and use other arrangements on the other days), but they are opening another I think.

I know my DS's nursery "encourages" at least half an hour outside play every morning. Part of the outside space is covered, so they are out regardless of the weather.

I have worked in a setting where the outdoors was very very important and I would say half the session ish was spent outside.. It was the best setting I have worked in and really showed my the advantages of the outdoors...

We would go for long walks over stiles in feilds with sheep in...look for badger footprints, have stories outside, we had a music area and a story telling area... we had a huge wendy house which was great too... it was not free flowing as that was not possible but it was half the session...
less children where sick in that pre school I am sure that was because of the outdoors...

We invested in all weather suits too...

I work in an early years setting where often there is absolutely no access to outdoors most days apart from lunchtime.

I think some children, not all but some learn better outside. But it's not so comfortable for the adults, is it?

I would definitely want my DC to spend as much time out doors as possible unless it was really cold, or really hot, when I would limit the time....it's still improtant though and I make sure my DC have very warm coats, hats, gloves, etc, which most other people in this country don'[t seem to bother with.

Also when DD was at nursery if parents didn't send in sun cream / hats the child wasn't allowed out side. I could see why the nursery didn't just state theses would be provided, get parents to sign for it, and get on with being outdoors.

I provide my employees with waterproof & warm jackets, I am in the process of buying waterproof trousers, I ask them to bring wellies

But the parents don't bring waterproofs & the grass is too muddy & wet atm

I have forest schools coming in on Wednesday - who knows what we will do then?

Ah, the age old problem of parents not providing appropriate clothing!

I think all children learn better outside... At least that is my experence anyway

Yes, outside very good, go outside more please everyone!!!

I always point to my sister in Sweden and her 2 kids. Her 4 year old (5 soon) spends 2 hours (yes 2 hours) outside every morning, whatever the weather- well, they have a rule that if it's below -10 then under 5s can't go out, but that's about it.

Am quite pleased with DD's nursery who take them onto the field in their wellies (she's 2). Not so sure about DS- he goes to very busy primary school nursery. I think they do get quite a bit of outdoor time but he often chooses not to go!!! He is so much better having had a run around though- sometimes I pick him up and he and his friends charge off round the playground and I wonder if they've spent all morning indoors...