Outdoor Play and Learning

At Footsteps Day Nursery we value outdoor play. We aim to provide a rich learning experience in the outside area and represent the seven areas of learning. So the children will have a range of activities to access in the garden. We aim to let children into the garden at least twice a day in any weather, by planning relevant activities & learning experiences. We believe the indoor & outdoor environments are of equal importance and this should be reflected in planning & assessment.

Staff - child ratios remain the same in the garden and staff are aware of how to interact with children in adult-led activities & allow children to access their own learning.

Resources within the garden reflect the 3 prime & 4 specific areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The older children have free flow access into the garden for th majority of the day. They have all-in-one suits to wear outside. The younger children access the garden twice a day. Children use the garden in most weathers..

Children's safety is the most important concern, the outdoor area is included in our risk assessment and these safety issues are also thought about while children are in the garden;

  1. There are accident report sheets located in the office on the ground floor.
  2. There is a first aid box located on the ground floor.
  3. We have no poisonous plants or substances in the garden
  4. The garden is checked daily for rubbish, animal faeces or hazardous materials
  5. Equipment is checked for breakages
  6. Equipment is sterilized monthly

The staff at Footsteps Day Nursery are committed to the inclusion of all children in outdoor play; all activities are pitched to enable all the children to take part regardless of age, sex, colour, race, religion, physical or mental impairment or disability. The resources will reflect the diversity of our society.

At Footsteps we also believe that the staff, children & parents benefit from parental partnership. Parents can join in by;

  1. Providing appropriate clothing
  2. Providing resources
  3. Popping in to have a chat about outdoor play
  4. Helping out, we have a number of helper sessions for you to come along and help at the nursery. Please speak to a member of staff if you are interested.