Enabling Environments: Making Spaces...Literacy

We have a great outdoor area shared by our reception and nursery and some children would choose to spend all day out there if we let them. We know the outdoors is good for them but it means they don't engage with all of the activities indoors, particularly opportunities for independent reading and writing. What kinds of activities can we provide outdoors to support their literacy development and how do we encourage a more balanced use of the environment?

There have been two schools of thought about the use of outdoors. Is it an outdoor classroom that replicates most of the activities found inside or should it be a purely natural environment providing something very different? There is something very special about being outdoors - the children have fresh air on their faces and the sky to gaze up at and a bit more room to run around in and be physically active. We aren't always aware of just how much this physical activity is linked to the more formal tasks of reading and writing. Just as an example, stretching and climbing, crawling and creeping, lifting and carrying are all linked to the hand and eye development needed to hold a pencil, or scan a page.

Aspects of our modern way of life mean that some children have limited opportunities for physical activity in their early years and this will have an impact on their later learning and development. These children may just not be ready yet for too much reading and writing activity and their brain development will benefit from the physical experiences they gain from being outdoors. So providing a rich outdoor experience with lots of opportunities for movement play should be part of your policy for literacy development. This is why Physical Development is seen as a Prime area of the EYFS, supporting the specific areas such as Literacy.

ON A GRAND SCALE

The outdoors provides fantastic opportunities to explore the physical activity of writing on a large scale, which is very important in the early stages of development. There is lots of space and the implements are often to hand. Tracing letter shapes in the sand, with a stick in the earth or with chalk on the ground is something children will instinctively do, and an adult can join in to demonstrate correct letter formation. This is writing for the fun of it and can be done over and over again, without consuming lots of resources. Even more simply, have paint brushes and a bucket of water to hand and walls, fences, paths etc provide the space for endless large scale writing and drawing.

Children will also find reasons outside for writing for a purpose, so make sure you always have the resources they need available. Keep a trolley (or storage that moves easily) ready with clipboards, paper, pens and pencils or have a special place to hang a handy bag full of writing materials. Clipboards with a pen attached are a stimulus in themselves and are easily incorporated into lots of games. Children will think of all sorts of reasons to make lists, notices and labels outdoors and you can encourage them by asking open-ended and provocative questions, or suggesting problems to solve. A den might need a 'welcome' or 'keep out' sign; the' garage' might need a list of cars booked in for repair; and outdoor role play areas such as shops, cafes, etc will provide lots of reasons for writing. Leaving notes in hidden places for children to find encourages them to write their own notes to hide in a tree or a gap in the fence. Think about the ways you model opportunities for reading and writing outdoors yourself and give children lots of opportunities to copy or mimic you - writing observations, making lists, or writing about the colour of the sky that day.

Reading outside is always a joy and it's easy enough to bring a basket of books outside to read on a bench, or under a tree. But some children might need a reason to sit and read outdoors when they view reading as an indoor activity. Bring out some reference books and perhaps Batman or the current Superheroes of the day could be encouraged to check up on some information, before they fly off to save the world? Put a book about trees next to a real tree, or a mini-beast book close to a good place for finding creatures. Create a cosy nook with cushions and books to hide away inside. Pop-up tents can make inviting outdoor book/story spaces. Lie down on a blanket and read by yourself - you won't be on your own for long. Books need looking after carefully when they are outside so have a nice sturdy, special box or basket for carrying them in and out.

MOVE ON IN

Given the importance of physical activity to children's overall development, the outdoors shouldn't be seen as the only place for physical activity. Penny Greenland founder of the movement play specialist organisation, Jabadao, suggests making a movement play area in a corner of a classroom, with just a few mats. Bringing the opportunity for movement play indoors as well as out is an important step in encouraging a balanced use of your environment, as well as indicating that physicality is just as relevant as all the other learning that takes place indoors in the classroom. Equally important is ensuring you provide enough time for uninterrupted play both indoors and out. When children know that the outdoors is continuously available to them, they are more relaxed about moving between the two spaces. Most will regulate their own use of the environment and regular observation will allow you to monitor specific children and their use of the outdoors.

Thanks to Yvette Pullen, Ridge County Primary School, Lancaster for the suggestion about indoor physical areas

COMMUNITY PLAYTHINGS: BALANCING ACT

Recognising the importance of movement in early learning - both indoors and out, Community Playthings has developed a range of ToddleBoxes to promote the physical development of children under three.

Babies and toddlers will love balancing, maneouvring and clambering over the 'hills' and 'valleys' that form part of the range. Wholly versatile, the carpeted boxes can be locked together to make 'roads' or simply be turned upside down to create a boat - or compact social space for two.

ToddleBoxes within the range include: Valley (£100), Hill (£110), Small Curve (£85), Rectangle (£80), Square (£50), Ramp (£45), Dodgem (£105) and Roundabout (£250).

Combinations are also available, including Exmoor (£650) High and Over (£400) and Weymouth Harbour (£360).

Made of solid hardwood with a clear child-safe finish, the box ends are 14cm high, while the carpet on the top and inside can be removed for cleaning.

www.communityplaythings.co.uk

This feature is sponsored by Community Playthings

MORE INFORMATION

• For our good practice guide, visit: www.nurseryworld.co.uk/go/physical development
• www.Jabadao.org