Special Focus: Now is the time to make the most of your space

When it comes to providing an inviting and dynamic outdoor space for children, how much space do you really need, and what are the key things that space needs to feature? Luckily there is lots of advice out there when it comes to boosting accessibility and making the most of limited space.

At the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), sustainability manager Nick Corlett has experienced these challenges and shares the following advice.

‘The challenges of limited space means staff need to think creatively about how to extend children’s learning outdoors and adapt their pedagogical approach accordingly. Planning is important to ensure a range of multi-layered activities while also providing children with room to explore and follow their own interests.

‘Physical play is so important for growing children, but this can be impeded by not having adequate space where children are able to run freely, climb as high as they feel comfortable or have access to nature. At LEYF, where we have nurseries on the roof and in the basement – sometimes no garden at all – we use the local area.’

LEYF offers vertical gardens that allow children to experience and appreciate the wonder of growing greenery while taking up minimal floor space. It also uses mirrors on walls to give the illusion of space (but not in direct sunlight), along with resources on wheels to allow teachers to move things about and adapt the space depending on children’s needs and interests.

Nick says, ‘Climbing walls can replace climbing frames as they take up minimal space, and we find that different levels/platforms within gardens are a good focal point, allowing the eye to be drawn towards them, as well as opening up the space underneath for other equipment (such as tunnels), or providing additional storage space – where possible. We also include compost bins, water butts and wormeries, as well as some type of planting and growing area – even if it’s a small planter.’

He says investing in quality equipment and resources is LEYF’s watchword. Fewer breakages of resources means less cost to replace them. Nick also makes sure resources are multi-use and have the capability to be packed away.

He says, ‘Permanent structures can limit the amount of free space that can be used for different multi-layered activities across the day. By incorporating a “moveable” outdoor space, you are able to utilise the area to its fullest.’

He adds, ‘We like to conduct Children’s Planning Meetings, which involve children in designing their outdoor space. Encourage adults to sit on the ground with children, to look at things from their perspective. Feedback from our teachers has shown us that this approach helps them bring children’s ideas to life.’

Although outdoor spaces are often associated with physical play, risky play and gross motor skill development, they should also be used for quiet reflection. Cosy dens and nooks can be particularly beneficial for children who may experience sensory overload, through enabling them to ‘escape’ the hustle and bustle of a busy garden. Children who seek sensory input may benefit from different natural textures in the outdoor environment, such as sand, bark or gravel; also think about plants that are sensory, including herbs.

‘All children benefit from being able to explore a well-planned, well-resourced and inclusive outdoor environment. Therefore, it is crucial that the design is as thoughtfully considered and pedagogically robust as it is inside the nursery,’ says Nick.

SMART STORAGE

Plentiful outside space for storage is not always available without encroaching on the playing area– not ideal if you have a small space to begin with.

The ideal is to have dedicated space for equipment plus enough space for children to independently access the resources they want to play with, but this can be tricky, especially as bikes and trikes are notorious for getting tangled.

To help with the cost of resources and storage you may be able to tap into the Government’s Capital Funding grant for early years providers to expand their provision ahead of the 30 hours extension.

Janine Medway-Smith is deputy head teacher/SENCO of a federation of three maintained nursery schools in London, known as Barnet Early Years Alliance. Janine has extensive experience of working with SEN children in outdoors environments and is an advocate of resources that encourage creativity.

She says, ‘Regardless of the size of your space, outside play needs to be safe and adaptable, preferably with open-ended resources and fixtures. If possible, outdoor areas need to offer opportunity for exploration, physical activity and connection with nature and the elements.

‘The key features are access to water, sand, mud and other loose parts that can be transported and transformed, developing creativity and divergent thinking. Play can be on a larger scale than indoors, and opportunities to engage in physical activity and risky play, such as climbing trees and using real tools, are important. In our setting, we regularly have fires, which help to develop a sense of community. The other, and maybe most important, thing is an interested adult who is happy to be outdoors, playing and interacting with children.’

Janine emphasises that efficient storage is key. ‘Ensuring storage areas are well organised and easily accessible promotes safety and helps us to find and retrieve the resources we need quickly – to find things in the moment.

‘Ongoing reflection allows us to identify specific needs or challenges children or adults may be facing, such as difficulty accessing the outdoors due to reluctance or SEN. Regular audits help assess the needs of both children and adults using the space and, again, help to identify areas for development. Through recognising these challenges, we can be proactive in finding solutions, but this needs to be ongoing.’

INCLUSIVE OUTDOORS

Janine says her current cohort of SEN children love being outside and getting fully immersed in sensory-seeking play. This has led to the nurseries ensuring that those children who need it are wearing all-in-one waterproofs and boots.

She adds, ‘One of the biggest game changers was staff adding waterproof trousers to their wardrobes! When wearing them, our mindset completely shifts – we don’t mind getting splashed or sitting on a muddy floor; it’s quite liberating and has meant staff are much more engaged with children at their level – a great resource to invest in!’

Barnet Early Years Alliance has also helped all stakeholders involved in the nurseries understand the benefits of outdoor and ‘risky’ play by, for example, holding a governor strategy day, where governors had the experience of using real woodwork tools and cooking on a fire. ‘We also hold Welcome Wednesdays where parents can experience outdoor play alongside their children, such as playing in the mud kitchen,’ says Janine.

Positive reinforcement, modelling and encouragement from adults can help children build confidence and motivation. Working with parents and ensuring their engagement has also been important, particularly where some parents are telling their children not to go outside.

Janine adds, ‘This has required us to have conversations with parents about the importance of outdoor play, not only on their child’s physical development but also mental health and wellbeing, promoting their resilience and independence.’

EMBRACING THE OUTDOORS

Although many of us can’t wait to get outdoors when the sun is shining, it can feel less appealing when it is grey and drizzly. But exploring the world in all weather is to experience it as it really is, and as the Norwegians say, ‘there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes’.

So, what are the best approaches in ensuring staff know how to work effectively outdoors – in all weather and contexts, getting involved in investigations and play?

As with all new experiences, children take their cues from the adults around them, so having engaged staff who show an interest in their surroundings and are also having fun is key, but it can be difficult for some staff to know what is expected of them during outdoors play – should they be joining in, helping to instigate play scenarios, or standing back and watching? Also, the perceived greater risk of physical injurywhen playing outdoors can make staff wary of letting children push themselves too far.

FREE FLOW

Katie Robertson is nursery manager at Nurture Nursery, Bathgate, West Lothian, which prides itself in maximising outdoors play. Katie ensures staff are aware of their outdoors set-up from the start.

She says, ‘Right from our first meeting with potential staff, we make it obvious that we are outdoors all day – pick-up and drop-off take place in the garden; children are prepared to be outside with waterproofs on from the start. It’s embedded in our interview process, so staff know it’s an expectation, and although there may be a little bit of reluctance initially, staff take it on board once they see the benefits; the difference in children’s play – exploring everything around them.

‘We do have sheltered areas too, such as our caravan, poly-tunnel and pergolas, which are great for a bit of shelter if it starts to rain. This saves children and staff having to constantly change in and out of outdoors clothes – which is extremely time-consuming – and it gives staff a bit of a breather too. We also provide outdoors staff training, such as fire-pit training, forest kindergarten, and virtual nature school.’

The set-up is very much about free-flow play. ‘We’re lucky in having quite a large outdoors space, and don’t find the need for invitations to play, it’s much more schematic, with children going wherever they want – trying a bit of everything and making their own games,’ says Katie.

‘When it comes to observations, we observe what children are doing, then use this to extend their play, introducing different resources to complement their interests. We adopt an interacting, not interfering, approach.

‘When it comes to equipment, everything is basically loose parts. We supply lots of objects that can be carried around and incorporated into water, sand or mud games, and also hula hoops, balls and toys that encourage open-ended play.’

She adds, ‘Our art stuff is always set up in the poly-tunnel, and we have mature trees, raised beds and lots of nature all around for children to investigate. Children have lots to explore.’

How staff can get involved in children’s investigations and play

• Allow children to be the pilot in their own play, while still being there to join in and help out as needed. Although the freedom of exploring the world outside should primarily be about letting children experiment and figure things out for themselves, they will always want an adult’s help to get their twigs standing up in a mud pie. Child-led inquiry – a mix of child-led investigation and adult help as needed – creates a secure environment so children are confident to try new things.
• Don’t be tempted to set lots of goals, as children are constantly setting their own goals, devised at a level they can reasonably attain. Even if you judge a goal to be easily within a child’s grasp, they may not be so sure. You could be setting them up to fail, and some children find this really embarrassing – although we don’t always think of children feeling like this. It can lead to avoiding a task or a certain piece of play equipment, rather than look foolish in not being able to complete a goal.
• Don’t be afraid to include some man-made resources in children’s play. For example, if a child has spent a long time creating a farm area out of twigs and leaves, their play may be enhanced by plastic farm animals. Although a child could use leaves and pretend they were pigs, it is unlikely they will derive the same play value – an example of small-world play enhancing their creativity. But do judge the situation on an individual basis – they may be happy with just their leaf pigs!
  
  

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