I visit many schools and settings here and abroad and take lots of photographs to reveal and share good practice.
This girl is not even two but is determinedly carrying water back and forth from the water butt in this large bowl. From her facial expressions you can see that she is happy, motivated and determined. See the new book- 'Taking the First Steps Outside. Under threes learning and developing in the natural environment' written with the two teachers, to view the work of this fantastic centre in Portugal.
A group of six year olds at playtime/recess using natural materials (leaves, stones, soil) to create an imaginary world. Strips of grass and leaves are being bound together to make people, furniture, etc.
This school was concerned about behaviour at lunchtime. Creating spaces such as this sand pit with logs, stones and blocks, improved children's behaviour dramatically.
6 and 7 year olds playing at lunchtime with toy cars. They are negotiating, collaborating and compromising. More zones are needed in playgrounds to facilitate this level of interaction.
A patch of land with trees and shrubs. This type of area in a playground gives children the opportunity for imaginary games, hid and seek, places to take some time out from the pressures of formal school work.
Children at the Explorers Club, freely choosing to identify the plants and minibeasts. Asking questions of themselves, they gradually come to a decision about a species. They learn how to persevere, be systematic and highly observant. Important attributes for scientists.
Adults and children co-exploring, observing snails. You can feel the closeness of the relationship between the adult and the children. The learning has been extended with the identification book.
A child hanging upside down on a trapeze bar, holding on with one hand. The child knew he could achieve this feat. The atmosphere in the school is one of trust. A trust in children's ability to make independent judgements. Physical skills are strongly linked to self confidence.
A pop up tent, sticks, carpets squares, pots and pans makes this a stimulating imaginative scene. This is a cold day but everyone is well wrapped up and protected against the elements.
9 year olds constructing while at the Explorers club. At Chilton Primary (Oxon), children have an hour a week visiting the Explorers Club. This is a patch of land in the corner of the outdoor space, consisting of trees and shrubs. Only natural materials are allowed. Have a look at the Useful Resources to see the types of learning gained from children visiting this site and co-exploring with adults.
5 year olds building a house. These blocks can last for 20 plus years and worth the initial outlay as the possibilities for play are endless.
This child is climbing about in a tree trunk. He is about a metre off the ground, but the intricacies of the tree are such that the child has to make lots of decisions about where to place his feet and hands and to be intuitive about his balance.
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