"The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky."

This quote from nursery educator Margaret McMillan sums up how we feel about our children being outdoors. She maintained that children need outdoor space as much as food and air, and we can’t help but agree! As well as fostering a love of nature and simply being outside, outdoor play encourages healthy physical activity, team play, mental health and social inclusion. We are very lucky to have two outdoor areas, first being the large nursery garden and the second being our roof top terrace which is a tranquil oasis style area.

For some reason, children love learning outside more than anywhere else…it is just more fun! Therefore, we ensure that our outdoor areas are rich in activity and cover the development areas of the EYFS. We love getting messy outdoors and a favourite is our Mud Kitchens where we develop so many wonderful skills! Outdoor play is also essential in children learning about their physical limitations, pushing their boundaries and learning to risk assess in a controlled environment; these skills are essential and need to be developed at an early age. We have lots of opportunity for our children to do this through open ended materials such as crates, planks and large tyres; these same resources also allow children’s imaginations to run wild…one minute they are a pirate ship, the next a castle and later a cave! Children also have the opportunity to explore with their senses and learn all about the world around them – we love spying for aeroplanes and spotting wildlife that comes to visit us!