A recent BBC article has revealed that school break times have been getting shorter over the past two decades. In some schools, it’s to shorten school hours and reduce local congestion, while others have made more time for lessons. So why not take the lessons outside with educational play products?
The use of school playground equipment is no longer limited to play time and can now be incorporated into lessons with ease. Play, in general, helps to provide a holistic approach to educating young children. It plays a vital role in their educational, social, emotional and physical development. By including school play equipment and outdoor learning into lesson time, you can create an outdoor space where children can imagine, discover, challenge themselves and solve problems within a structured learning environment.
More than 81 per cent of teachers across the UK said they’d like to take their classes outside more often. Nearly half blame not doing so on the pressures of the curriculum.(https://outdoorclassroomday.org.uk)
With the recent rise of forest schools and a new-found want to utilise the great outdoors in learning, it has become ever more important to provide school playground equipment that can provide both fun and education.
The inclusion of environmental play equipment such as Playdale’s Planters, Eco Inspection Tables, and Composters in an outdoor space can provide children with lots of learning opportunities. They will learn how science can be used to answer many questions about the outdoor environment, such as changing seasons and the requirements that plants have for life and growth. Children can grow herbs or vegetables with the possibility of them being used in the kitchen for school lunches, linking their outdoor learning back to the inside classroom and the Key Stage 1 & 2 curriculums.
The Playdale Mud Kitchen allows children to enjoy the glory of mud whilst learning in an outdoor environment. Teachers can use mud kitchens to incorporate literacy, maths and science into messy play. This creative type of play can be used to teach children about the difference between solids and liquids, exploring capacity, volume and weight by measuring, stirring and creating recipes for mud pies.
Children love to splash around with water play which is one of the most popular activities in an early year’s classroom. Children can have their own “Eureka!” moment whilst learning about water movement and why objects float and sink in an outdoor environment. Learn more information about the importance of water play in schools.
Come rain or shine lessons can still be held outdoors under the shelter of an outdoor classroom. For those lessons that need indoor equipment, the addition of seating and whiteboards can be added to bring the classroom outdoors and into the fresh air.
If you’d like some inspiration for YOUR nursery or school playground equipment click here to request a copy of our latest catalogue.
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