Time and space

Planning for complementary indoor and outdoor learning requires practitioners to consider how they will manage both time and space. They may need to rethink the daily routine and review how space is being used.

Managing time

Children need an extended period of time outdoors to develop their ideas and work in depth. If a whole group goes out for 20 or 30 minutes, the experience tends to be one of letting off steam rather than getting immersed in worthwhile activity. Imagine how frustrating it must be to build an aeroplane only to have no time to play in it.

Ideally, the door to the outside area should be open for most of each session so that children can choose where they wish to learn and can link indoor and outdoor experiences. If this is not possible, practitioners should extend children's time outdoors during at least some sessions each week.

Children need at least an hour outside if they are to work in depth. Some settings that do not have easy access to their outdoor areas have gone out for most of a session and covered all curriculum areas outside.

Practitioners in these settings have been delighted to see how enthusiastically the children get involved in outdoor learning and how well they work together on collaborative projects when they have more time.

Children's behaviour is also positively affected when they are not desperate to get a turn on a coveted piece of equipment.

Managing space

Bilton (2004, p5) reminds us that 'there needs to be enough space to move, do and find out'. There is a link between cramped spaces and anti-social or anxious behaviour.

Where space is limited, it is better to rotate provision and create one or two good areas of provision outside to complement indoor learning - areas could change each week, or more or less frequently, in response to children's needs.

Space needs to be defined so that children know where different kinds of activity take place. Many outdoor areas are dominated by wheeled toys, which reduces children's opportunities to engage in other activities.

Staff need to decide on the areas of provision they wish to offer and to develop them accordingly. Such areas might include a quiet area; a wildlife area; a gardening area (tubs and hanging baskets where no garden is available); an area for wheeled toys; a construction/imaginative/creative play area; an area for play with natural materials; and an area for physical play such as running, climbing, and playing with bats and balls.

Some settings with limited outdoor space use parks and other spaces to extend opportunities. Resources for each area need to be organised into labelled storage trolleys or vegetable racks near the relevant area so that children can independently access equipment.

Recording plans

Planning for outdoor learning should be an integral part of the overall planning process. When practitioners have identified the learning objectives in their medium- and short-term planning, they should highlight the indoor and outdoor opportunities to access these - the long-term overview can be used to identify suitable experiences and adult support.

There is no need for a separate outdoor plan. Outdoor experiences should be included on existing planning sheets under the heading 'Outdoor opportunities for accessing the planned learning'.

Because the weather is unpredictable, simply list the outdoor opportunities and highlight when they have been offered. A blank sheet of paper for each curriculum area to record any spontaneous provision and learning is also useful. Adults should plan their time carefully so they can lead planned experiences, and observe and participate in child-initiated activity.

All adults need to approach the outdoor curriculum with commitment, enthusiasm and energy. Foundation Stage children deserve adults who will delight in being outside with them.

Bilton, H (2004) Playing Outside: Activities, Ideas and Inspiration for the Early Years, David Fulton.

INVOLVING PARENTS

* Run workshops to help parents and carers understand the importance of the outdoor curriculum. Encourage parents to remember their own outdoor learning.

* Display any plans for developing outdoor provision and show how parents can help.

* Make a photograph album or display that demonstrates how children learn outdoors and refers to statutory guidance.

* Display a list of recycled materials for parents to collect.