Outdoor areas
1. Learning
Playing outside helps pupils to develop their learning abilities. By putting educational equipment outdoors, pupils are soon learning through play, which is a fun way of helping pupils to learn new information and skills. As well as this, outdoor learning encourages pupils to think of learning is an ongoing process instead of just something done in the classroom.
2. Creativity
Outdoor play is great for encouraging pupil’s creativity. Away from the constraints and confinement of indoor play, being outside pupil’s imaginations are often stimulated by the objects around them and they quickly tap into their creativity.
3. Health
There are numerous health benefits to playing outside. With more room to play in, pupils are often more active when outside, which helps them to build strong bones and good fitness levels, while also enabling them to burn off extra energy and calories.
4. Social skills
As outdoor spaces are usually less crowded than indoors, it is less intimidating and helps pupils to naturally come out of their shells and be more social. This means that pupils will be more willing to join in games and activities, while they will also be more likely to talk to different pupils and make new friends. This all encourages pupils to learn social skills and how to interact with other pupils away from adult supervision.
5. Well-being
Giving pupils the freedom of playing outdoor helps them to feel happier and calmer. The freedom outdoor play also encourages pupils to get rid of built-up energy, particularly if they tend to be fidgety when sitting for long periods of time, this leads to them becoming calmer and ultimately helps them to be more focused when in the classroom.
6. Independence
The large space in which to play means that when outside pupils are often away from direct adult supervision. This helps them to learn independence when socially interacting with other pupils, as well as learning to play by themselves. They learn how to take turns playing games, to pick themselves up when they fall, and how to negotiate unfamiliar equipment, resulting in pupils learning how to be independent and self-reliant.
7. Explore
Often outdoor play equipment has a little more risk than indoor toys. Outdoor play equipment can help pupils to learn to push their boundaries and become good at risk assessment. It also teaches them to explore new games and become confident in learning to try new things without being guided by adults.
Ysgol Maes Hyfyryd has been fortunate to raise funds to develop these outdoor areas, play equipment and our brilliant Sensory Garden.
