Outdoor play
At Children’s Choice Early Learning we follow the research and beliefs of the Swedish culture
‘Theres no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes’.
We understand in Australia our weather can go from wet and cold to extremely hot. We partner with SunSmart to make sure we are keeping children covered, hydrated, cool and protected from the heat but still able to enjoy fresh air and outdoor play. In the cooler, wetter months we provide water suits and gumboots so our children can enjoy puddle jumping and messy play. No matter the weather memories will be made and lessons will be learnt.
Messy play supports the development of their senses, which is critical for learning about the world and brain development. Its freedom and inherently open-ended nature helps build creativity. Getting the go-ahead to make a mess and push boundaries also helps kids build a sense of self.
Outdoor play improves overall behaviour, social skills self-control, attention, and social interaction, creativity, mental focus, and collaborative play. Children show less inhibition and more assertiveness–they feel freer to express themselves outdoors. Outdoor play reduces aggression and stress “Keeler and Hinkley”
Unstructured, free outdoor play, in particular, decreases instances of bullying and injury. In general, unstructured play is associated with increased creativity, improved executive function, more effortful control, and more positive affect. “Howard-Jones, Barker and Doebel”