Eyes on Early Years Volume 19 | Page 11

Enabling Outdoor Environments By Sophie Booth The outdoor environment allows children to explore and experience a wider range of play opportunities that cannot be accessed through the indoor learning environment alone. The outdoor environment is a much more flexible space and can be adapted to allow for messier and more physical play opportunities. Whilst outside children can also experience the sometimes unpredictable changes in weather that occur during the cooler months in the UAE and are able to feel the heat of the summer lessening, air and wind becoming cooler and on the few days that it does occur – rain! The outdoor environment also allows children to engage with nature - investigating mud, digging holes, exploring plants and trees, various natural textures and growing things. Children spend a lot of time indoors and in constant air conditioning either at home, in their settings or in cars. As an early years practitioner it is essential that you consider the educational and play opportunities that you are providing for children when you take them outdoors, giving them the opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of the world around them.