Learning & development: Outdoors - A world of their own

Key Stage 1 and Foundation Stage children at Yarm have really enjoyed our outdoor area during the cold weather, and this motivated both staff and children to plan a week of exciting outdoor learning opportunities.

We began by asking the children what they would most like to do when playing outdoors in the cold. Some had been camping with their families and so suggested having tents and campfires; others wanted to decorate the trees to turn the area into a wonderland. We also asked what they would like to eat and drink, and how they would want to keep warm.

Older children, recalling a favourite story, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, wanted to create their own Narnia - a wonderland 'where is it is always winter', which they decided would be ruled by an ice king and queen.

All their ideas were recorded before arriving at a final list:
- Decorating iced biscuits to take home
- Making igloos with ice
- Making snow buildings
- Face painting
- Painting pictures
- Reading stories in cosy corners
- Making winter music around a campfire
- Constructing dens and models
- Decorating the trees
- Toasting marshmallows on sticks
- Drinking hot chocolate with mini-mallows on top
- A snowman competition
- An opening celebration with the crowning of an ice king and queen
seated on white thrones

PREPARATIONS

Staff met to discuss whether the children's suggestions were practical and to assess any health and safety risks. We also agreed a timetable, compiled lists of resources and discussed how to involve parents.

The night before the opening celebration, staff set up gazebos, prepared large chunks of polystyrene for making 'ice' sculptures and created a boundary of large stones round the campfire. Next morning, they arrived armed with throws, rugs, hot water bottles and extra books about cold weather, and set about preparing the area for the planned activities.

In addition, throws and cushions were placed in the gazebos and white army camouflage net draped between them. Pop-up 'igloos' were positioned around the area and benches placed in a circle around the campfire. White dining chairs were set in place to represent the thrones of the ice king and queen.

The children, eager to help prepare for the big opening celebration, made paper snowflakes and paper chains to decorate the trees. They discussed how to make the ice king and queen 'extra special', and created crowns for them adorned with fine decorations.

Parents joined in by helping to make snowmen, using creative media from playdough to marshmallows.They also brought in hot water bottles and covers, cuddly toys and warm clothes.

ENTERING WONDERLAND

The children walked into 'their' wonderland as if seeing their familiar outdoor space for the first time. Their faces told us instantly that our efforts had been worth it.

They soon became engrossed in the activities on offer, such as construction, painting and role-play. Some snuggled in the gazebos cuddling hot water bottles and reading books, while others invented stories based around an igloo. Bowls of ice and salt proved popular, as the children tried to build mini-igloos and were fascinated by what happens when ice and salt are mixed.

Before long it was time for a rest and the children gathered on the benches to watch the fire being lit. Staff and children then chose who would be ice king and queen. The two elected, it was felt, had entered in to the spirit of the occasion so well and were invited to sit on their thrones to be crowned.

When everyone was in position round the campfire, they sang songs, accompanied by musical instruments, drank hot chocolate, ate the snowmen biscuits that they had made and toasted marshmallows.

LEARNING

The personal, social and emotional benefits of the project are clear to see in our photographs showing the children's delight in the new experiences. Before, during and after the project, they were highly motivated and keen to work together as a group. We all felt a keen sense of belonging as we shared the wonderful week.

The children negotiated plans before the event, used descriptive language in abundance to describe the effect of the experiences on their senses, and imaginative language as they played under the trees and in the igloos. It was good to see our boys making use of the cosy corners to explore books and to note their increased concentration. Older children were highly motivated by the opportunity to create elements of a fantasy world from their favourite story.

The children created decorations and noted symmetrical patterns in the snowflakes they made. Creating 'ice' structures and building with natural materials involved lots of measuring and estimating and we noticed an increased use of positional language.

The children were able to discover the effect of salt on ice and discuss why salt is put on icy roads. They also watched changes brought about by heat on their marshmallows.

The children ran around excitedly and freely, negotiating obstacles and having fun crawling into igloos and hiding under bushes. They were shown how to hold tools safely and practise appropriate safety measures around the fire and when constructing things with polystyrene and natural materials.

The children sang and played instruments, read stories, created dens, painted and engaged in role play. Our wonderland heightened their sensory awareness, as they watched their decorations fluttering in the breeze, listened to the crackling fire and smelt the aroma of hot chocolate.

Rachel Jopling is reception teacher at the independent school, Yarm at Raventhorpe, Darlington. She and her colleagues Lesley Fennell, Lesley Record, Ruth Storey and Alexandra Tait, work in Key Stage 1 and Foundation Stage and talked to Jean Evans about the children's project

OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS

When planning such a project, pay particular attention to health and safety risks and complete a written risk assessment beforehand.

- Create a boundary of stones around the fire and explain to the children that they must not cross it. Place benches away from the fire and have to hand a bucket of sand for putting out the fire.

- Use long sticks to toast the marshmallows, so keeping the children well away from the fire.

- Do not fill hot water bottles with very hot water. Screw the lids on tightly and put a cover on the bottle.

- Serve warm rather than hot chocolate.

- Do not allow the children to break up polystyrene pieces. Present them with manageable chunks for making constructions.