Venture outside the classroom and into the natural world, where mathematics isn’t just numbers on paper but a visible part of our environment. This blog will explore learning math outside through finding patterns in nature, using scavenger hunts to enhance learning, using natural materials for number work and revealing how
One of my favourite parts of my job is encouraging young learners’ scientific curiosity by utilising outdoor environments and natural materials. This blog will walk you through simple, fun scientific lessons enhanced by being taught outside or using common natural materials. We’ll discover the advantages of learning science outdoors. Get
I’ve been fortunate to be in the position to participate in Outdoor Learning Continual Professional Development (CPD) and have also had the opportunity to deliver CPD. I have helped facilitate study days for my school organisations, given workshops and lectures to University students, and given online presentations. Elliot et al.
When I first started teaching outdoor learning, I decided to take a tiny hedgehog along to my early years class as a kind of mascot. Within a few minutes, the hedgehog was given a name. Hamish the hedgehog was so popular with the class that he’s remained in my bag
I am currently completing a portfolio of work to gain my Forest School Leader 3 qualification. Recently, I was lucky enough to participate in Forest School Practical Training with the outdoors group, which has a forest school training centre based in Exmouth. The week-long course was a wonderful experience. I
In today’s blog post, I’ll discuss the importance of children getting the opportunity to be in outdoor environments and how this helps with mental well-being and soothes those with neurological challenges, including ADHD. Nature Deficit Disorder Louv (2008) highlights that children spend less unstructured time in nature. The paper
Throughout my career as a teacher, I’ve mainly worked with KS2 children, but in my new role, I’ve been enjoying my KS1 and early years classes. They’ve given me the chance to observe many fantastic examples of play in the early years and KS1 departments, which has inspired me to
“Sustainable development is about developing an understanding of the global implications of our daily actions (e.g., energy and resource use) and taking responsibility for these” (Beames et al., 2012, p. 8). There’s plenty of research that supports the view that the world is living unsustainably and that tackling this
Overcoming Challenges Teachers often face seeming obstacles when planning and facilitating outdoor learning. These include weather, adult-to-child ratios, and timetabling (Salmi et al., 2016). The aforementioned are all challenges I have encountered as a teacher, and through experience, I have come up with solutions to most logistical problems. As a
Local Environments There can be a perception that outdoor learning needs to take place far away from school (Beames et al., 2009). In Scotland, where I grew up and have previously taught, it’s common for primary-age children to go on a yearly residential trip to engage in various outdoor activities.
Finding Connections Finding connections between the classroom and the outdoors may be essential for justifying teachers’ use of outdoor learning as part of their practice. It is generally accepted within primary education that interdisciplinary-connected experiences can be more conducive to learning (Prince, 2018). However, teachers can often feel pressured to
The Institute of Outdoor Learning (2020) defines outdoor learning as a broad term that includes discovery, experimentation, learning about and connecting to the natural world, and engaging in environmental and adventure activities. Within primary education, there is a focus on educationally legitimising outdoor learning. Hence, outdoor learning is commonly