Outdoor Learning Ideas For EYFS

Outdoor learning is important in encouraging development during the early years foundation stage (EYFS). Not only can it set children up for academic success, but it can help children grow socially and develop their soft skills too. 

Whether you are looking for learning opportunities for EYFS children at nursery or primary school, our outdoor learning ideas can help inspire an interest in various subjects like literacy, maths, and the arts. 

Read on to find out more about outdoor learning, its benefits, and our 7 ideas to help you facilitate engaging learning sessions for EYFS children. 

What Does The Curriculum Say About Outdoor Learning and EYFS?

The EYFS Framework says that outdoor learning and physical activity are vital for a child’s social, physical, and educational development. Outdoor learning in particular can help prepare children for starting school. 

Making learning fun and engaging can develop a child’s communication, language, literacy, and mathematical skills and encourage a keen interest in these subjects from a young age. 

Learn more about creating an outdoor playground using the EYFS Framework with our guide. 

Benefits of Outdoor Play in EYFS 

There are many benefits of encouraging physical play in early years. For example, outdoor play: 

• Improves confidence, communication, and social skills.
• Improves physical skills, like coordination, strength, and endurance. 
• Provides fun, sensory experiences for children to enjoy.
• Encourages exploration in a safe and controlled environment. 
• Supports the development of an active, healthy lifestyle.
• Encourages children to engage with nature and learn about the environment.

7 EYFS Outdoor Learning Ideas 

Outdoor play tactics can be used to facilitate fun, engaging learning opportunities for EYFS children. We have outlined 7 outdoor learning ideas below:  

1. Encourage Outdoor Storytelling

Children love listening to and telling stories, so outdoor storytelling is a great way to spark an interest in literacy and improve their communication skills and vocabulary. 

Engaging with nature and using your surroundings to aid your storytelling can also help develop creative thinking skills. For example, you could ask your children to describe what shapes they can see in the clouds and get them to tell a story related to what they see. 

Installing outdoor classroom spaces and storytelling chairs in your playground can provide EYFS children with a comfortable, private space that can be used to connect with stories year-round.  

2. Stage Outdoor Plays and Performances

Similarly to outdoor storytelling, staging plays and performances outside can encourage creative expression while connecting with nature. It can also help build confidence and encourage an interest in the performing arts. 

Getting children to perform different songs and rhymes can also be a fun way to build their communication skills. 

To really place your children centre-stage, you could invest in a playground theatre and let their creativity shine! 

3. Play Sorting Games With Natural Materials

Using natural materials to play sorting games can help teach EYFS children different maths-based skills, from counting to measuring. 

Ask your children to collect various materials they can find outside, like stones, pinecones, conkers, and twigs. Then, challenge them to count or sort them based on different variables like size or weight.

This is an easy and accessible way to make maths more fun and engaging!

4. Organise An Alphabet Treasure Hunt

Test your children’s understanding of the alphabet and spelling by organising an outdoor alphabet treasure hunt. 

Give your children a letter of the alphabet and challenge them to find an item that starts with the letter they have been given.

5. Create Nature Journals

Give your children a journal, sketchbook, or a few sheets of paper and encourage them to explore outdoors. Ask them to write down what they have found and describe anything interesting that they saw. 

Journalling is a great activity that uses a variety of skills: literacy, spelling, and observation skills to name just a few.

You can even add a creative element to the task by getting the children to create and decorate their journals first.  

6. Utilise Playground Markings

Educational playground markings can be used to aid learning activities across a range of subjects: 

• Literacy: playground markings displaying the alphabet and phonics can help children with reading and spelling. 
• Mathematics: playground markings involving numbers or clocks can help children with counting and telling the time. 
• Geography: playground markings displaying world maps and compass points can help children learn about different countries and directions. 
• Science: playground markings displaying the solar system can help children learn more about the different planets. 

Having visual reference points for your children to use during outdoor learning activities can be helpful in supporting their understanding and make educational games more fun and engaging. 

7. Install Activity Panels

Like playground markings, educational activity panels can also be installed in your playground to aid learning across different subjects:

• Literacy: wipeable boards can help children practice their spelling and handwriting. 
• Mathematics: activity panels can assist with counting, understanding shapes, and measuring. 
• Arts and crafts: wipeable boards and panels can be drawn on and encourage creativity. 

Assist EYFS Outdoor Learning With Sovereign Play 

At Sovereign, we have over 30 years of experience in creating bespoke outdoor play spaces for children of all ages. We know how important outdoor play is to a child’s development and learning, which is why our team is committed to designing safe and engaging playgrounds that will be enjoyed for years to come. 

If you are looking to enhance your playground for EYFS children, we can help. As a UK leader in EYFS play spaces, our extensive catalogue of EYFS outdoor play equipment has everything you need to create your dream play area. 

Contact us online or call 01702 804200 to find out more about how we can help bring your playground ideas to life!

For more information on Outdoor Learning Ideas For EYFS talk to Sovereign Design Play Systems Ltd