The Importance Of Outdoor Play

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Outdoor play allows children to play and explore an outdoor environment while engaging in minimal risk. The outdoor environment always the children to let off steam whilst engaging in a stimulating environment. In accordance to Síolta standard 2 Environments, Component 2.5 “The outdoor environment should provide a variety of developmentally appropriate, challenging, diverse, creative, and enriching experiences for all children” (Síolta, 2010, p20). Donohue and Gaynor believe that many of the activities that practitioners carry out indoors can be adapted to the outdoor environment with many additional opportunities. (Donohue & Gaynor, 2007, p.66). The activity that has been carried out is an activity that can be easily altered to an outdoor
McMillians main focus was improving the lives of children from poorer societies. As a result of her research she developed outdoor nurseries which gave these children an opportunity to play in open fresh air to influence the development of a healthy mind and body. Sara Knight believes that Maria Montessori’s activities were supported by the use of natural materials. (Knight, 2013, p59) Fredrick Froebel believed outdoor play is a key part of children’s learning. He believed that through play children figure out who they are and make sense of their environment. This activity supports Froebel’s theory. By going on a bear hunt the children are exploring different parts of an outdoor environment. (Bruce & Meggitt, 2010, p. 367). Rudolf Steiner is another theorist who strongly supported outdoor learning. Steiner believed that children learn through the engagement of real life natural materials with minimal adult interaction.
Risk assessment is an important task when carrying out outdoor activities. It involves members taking responsibility for episodes that could go wrong and applying measures to prevent these from happening. According to Aistear’s theme Wellbeing, Aim 2 “Children should be as healthy and as fit as they can while showing good judgement when taking risks”. (NCCA, 2009, 17). The main risks attached with this activity are easily prevented. The children will be made aware of
In our lesson plan we have broken the activity into three separate parts. This activity could be carried out as learning story with the children with many activities that could also be linked into our three activities. The first part of our activity is to turn our children into mini explorers by making binoculars using recycled materials. The binoculars will be decorated by the children in a short time period. If we had longer then children could use a variety of materials and personalise the binoculars. We will then have circle-time with the children and read then the “We’re going on a Bear Hunt” story. After the story will make children aware of various risks identified in the risk assessment and then set off on our bear hunt through the forest, river and tunnel. At each stage of the Bear Hunt the children could be allowed time for reflection or exploration, however during this activity the children may not have time for reflection. This activity is linked to the beliefs of many theorists who encourage outdoor learning and creative play and is supported by the aims and goals of Aistear and Standards of Síolta. In my opinion this is an enjoyable activity for the children to take part in and allows for the development of skills such as exploring and thinking, teamwork, communication and literacy and numeracy as well as many more. If I were to do this lesson plan again I think I would

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