1st Edition
Exploring Outdoors Ages 3-11 A guide for schools
Exploring Outdoors Ages 3-11 is an essential guide on how to encourage children’s learning and support their development through year-round outdoor exploration. It follows one primary school through an entire academic year, capturing the challenges, discoveries and joys of children and adults co-exploring outdoors together.
This unique book covers all aspects of outdoor practice from setting up and maintaining an outdoor site to the boundaries, support and effective communication that will help to create a safe and happy environment. It traces each term of the year and focuses on the importance of role play and imaginative learning, planning activities for all weather conditions and how the National Curriculum can be applied to outdoor exploring. Features include:
- Step-by-step guides on how to set up an outdoor site
- Advice on how to observe and record children’s learning and development outdoors
- Real-life case studies of children exploring outdoors from EYFS through to the end of Key Stage 2
- Over 100 full photographs to illustrate how outdoor exploring can encourage children’s learning and development
- Practical tips and ideas for outdoor activities throughout the year
- An eResource with useful checklists, templates and pro-forma available to download
Exploring Outdoors Ages 3-11 is essential reading for all those passionate about working outside who want to build confidence and develop their ability to co-explore with children.
Introduction
Section 1
1. Outdoor exploration starts with the adults
2. Supporting and observing children’s outdoor explorations
3. Setting up your site
Section 2
4. Autumn - Winter Term (September - December)
5. Winter - Spring Term (January - April)
6. Spring - Summer Term (April - July)
Section 3
Bibliography
Forms, templates and checklists
Useful kit and contacts
Index
Biography
Helen Bilton PhD is Associate Professor in Education at the University of Reading, UK, and a National Teaching Fellow.
Anne Crook PhD is the Educational Development Consultant (Sciences) at Oxford University, UK, and a National Teaching Fellow.
"The great thing about this book is the way it follows a primary school throughout a whole year of outdoor exploration - it's a far cry from the idea that the outdoors is only for fine weather. This essential guide shows how to encourage children’s learning and support their development through year-round outdoor exploration; the really importance message that comes across is how much everyone involved enjoys the activities, children and adults." - Sarah Brew, Parents in Touch
"What a great book if you are looking for step by step guidance around setting up an outdoor site […] Practical, tried and tested tips for activities throughout the year are shared in an accessible way. Helen Bilton’s books on outdoor learning will be known to many of you and this book continues her excellence in the field." - Martine Horvath, EYE
