Enabling Environments: Outdoors - Park rangers
Judith Napier
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
'Nurture through nature' is the ethos behind an outdoor kindergarten in Glasgow, where children learn to manage risk. Judith Napier reports.
The fretful, baby-wipe culture is alive and well in Glasgow - until children at the Woodland Outdoor Kindergartens get a session or two under their belts. Co-owner Debbie Simmers says, 'We notice that, at first, if children stumble, they won't use their hands to balance themselves, in case they get dirty, or to help themselves up again. They lie like little turtles. Then they ask for a baby wipe. We explain that hygiene is very important, and they'll get a good scrub with soap and hot water before lunch, but otherwise we leave them to it, and soon they're diving in, picking sticks out of puddles, using mud as face paint.'
Helping children learn about managing risk is just one aspect of daily life at Scotland's first city-based outdoor kindergarten, which was set up last autumn by Ms Simmers and Alison Latta.
The pair - childhood friends who enjoyed the outdoors throughout childhood and completed Duke of Edinburgh awards - were inspired by the 'nurture through nature' ethos when they explored childcare options for their own young families.
It coincided with Ms Simmers facing redundancy from her former work as a children's home manager. Her qualifications and experience in that area (albeit limited to the over-eight age group) made her consider the outdoors kindergarten option. Ms Latta is a qualified physiotherapist, also linking with the Care Commission's requirements.
Outdoor kindergartens were started in Scandanavia and Germany over 50 years ago, but remain uncommon in the UK. However, their value is recognised by the Scottish government, which is currently developing a strategy to increase outdoor learning in the pre-school age group.
Ms Simmers and Ms Latta spent around a year researching, drawing up policies and procedures, recruiting staff (including two primary school teachers, one a forest school practitioner) and negotiating with Glasgow City Council for access to Pollok Country Park - a massive 146 hectares (361 acres). They also found accommodation in a nearby church hall for use in extreme weather conditions.
PUBLICITY BOOST
The nursery, sited in Glasgow's largest park, and only 5km from the city centre, has attracted much positive publicity and there are now around 50 children on the books, aged from two years nine months to five years, most of them part-time attendees.
At registration, each child receives a rucksack, waterproofs, fleecy welly socks, an insulated mat, an insulated lunchbox, a drinks flask and a sunhat. The nursery has a staff of six, including the owners, and operates from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. Children meet at the church hall, then travel by minibus to the park.
The setting opened in October, just in time for Scotland's coldest winter in 30 years. However, Ms Simmers says the snow and sub-zero temperatures didn't daunt their snowsuited charges, who were out daily. The only concession was delaying the outdoors stint until 10.30am. The kindergarten has access to the whole park and the children choose where to set up their camp every day.
After six months, they are still finding new places to visit. Once they find a place they like - maybe near a good climbing tree or fallen logs - the staff tie up tarpaulin shelters, hammocks, a tent and a bio-toilet system.
Pollok Country Park is home to a range of animals and habitats, and children explore the sights and sounds of birds, rabbits, deer, foxes, squirrels and frogs. In a fenced-in area the park also has four heavy horses and a fold of pedigree Highland Cattle.
The kindergarten's daily programme may include some adult-led activities, focusing perhaps on Easter or Chinese New Year, vegetable growing, or getting out the laptop so children can Google fungi and minibeasts. There are scavenger hunts and den-building, and musical instruments created from forest floor debris. But the only resources carried into the woods are ropes and a pulley system. Then the adults take a step back - a difficult concept for teachers used to interacting and leading play - while the children get creative.
Ms Simmers explains, 'Activities are very child-led. We stand back, and believe less is more. Some children will stand still, and it's at that point that adult visitors want to engage, offer them a stick, say, to start an activity. But we find children soon become more confident and find other children with whom to engage.'
The children create fairy doors, magic words to open them, chocolate cakes and castles. 'It's all invented and imagined, and conversation takes arms and legs.'
CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE
Ms Simmers is confident that all aspects of Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence can be covered in this safe yet stimulating setting. She thinks language skills develop in a way that perhaps might not happen in more conventional settings where children are occupied by structured games and activities, without any need for interaction.
Baby wipes are only one aspect of risk assessments that Ms Latta and Ms Simmers must consider, but they have been pleasantly surprised by how relatively straightforward it turns out to be.
Ms Simmers says, 'We have had professionals to visit, and most of them are surprised by the level of risk we feel is acceptable. We can understand that point of view, but we have yet to have any problems other than the odd bruise from stumbles that you would get in any nursery anywhere.'
Children do climb trees, but only if they manage themselves, and not out of reach of adults. They're not given a boost up - if they can't do it themselves, then they have to admit defeat. The adults try not to parrot warnings, and children accept their limitations.
PARENT RESPONSE
Of the 50 children currently attending Woodlands, there are more girls than boys. A sizeable proportion of the children come from homes where there is a stay-at-home parent with no particular work-related pressure to find childcare. Ms Latta welcomes the varied demographic, with a wide spread of backgrounds from throughout the city.
'It would be good if more parents gained in confidence,' says Ms Simmers. 'But I think now more nurseries are going in this direction. We are developing confident, eager and enthusiastic learners who are resilient and self-reliant.'
She says parents comment on how chatty their children are after attending the kindergarten, how they appear to bond firmly with their peers, and how, after a day outdoors, they eat heartily and sleep like logs.
The demand for places is now so great that Woodland is now concentrating on opening a second nursery, this time in Glasgow's West End, accessing Mugdock Country Park.
Ms Latta says the reaction so far has been amazing - parental feedback in a recent questionnaire reported 100 per cent satisfaction in all categories. 'We really love our job and can see that children do get a lot from it. I was warned about the stress of setting up a new business, but after all my days outside I've never had so many great nights' sleep.'
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