Know

You can do many things to help children experience nature and learn in the outdoors. Children spend as much as two hours per day outdoors in many programs. This is valuable time for children to develop their large muscles and sophisticated play skills. Much of what you do in the classroom can be easily translated to the outdoor environment. You do that by incorporating safety, design, space and accessibility.

Safety

Evaluate your outdoor learning environments. Make sure the equipment is safe and the environment is free from preventable risks. You must consider fall zones, surfacing, access to shade and the condition of materials and equipment. The Safety course contains detailed information regarding what to check in outdoor environments to assure children’s safety prior to outdoor play.

In some settings, your playground may be used by the community during the evening; perhaps your program shares a community park. Even if your playground is protected by a fence, it is still possible that hazardous materials could find their way onto the playground. Before you take children outside, you must be vigilant about inspecting the playground each day. Look for:

• 碎片（玻璃，烟头，垃圾，建筑物用品）
• Animal excrement and other foreign material
• Mulch that is spread too thin
• Standing water, ice or snow
• Surfaces that are too hot or cold for children to touch safely
• 可能造成伤害的自然物体（尖石、树桩、树根、树枝）
• 不安全的昆虫（蚁丘、蜂巢、黄蜂巢）
• Ditches, holes, wells and traps
• Exposed power lines or utility equipment

Remember to check the temperature of play surfaces. Metal or plastic slides, benches and poured concrete surfaces can get very hot and very cold. Inspect surfaces for cracks caused by temperature changes or water damage.

You should begin each day by carefully inspecting outdoor play areas and equipment. This will help prevent major injuries or accidents. Walk around your outdoor play area and use the safety checklist provided by your program or the one in the Safety course. Talk about what you see with a trainer, coach or supervisor.

设计

Carefully design outdoor learning areas to support a full range of children’s play and activities. You can create interest areas, much as you do for your indoor space. For preschool, these areas might include sand, water, wheeled toys, games, construction, woodworking, quiet activities, science and nature (Dodge et al., 2010). Many of the same materials you provide indoors can be used to promote engagement outdoors.

例如，户外安静的活动兴趣区可以包括树荫下阴影的书籍的篮子。户外戏剧性游戏兴趣区可以包含毯子，野餐篮，塑料餐具，餐具和装扮衣服等道具。您还可以将传统的户外玩具融入这些兴趣区。例如，您可以创建一个户外艺术或与人行道粉笔写入兴趣区，或者您可以将各种形状的泡沫解决方案和魔杖纳入户外发现/科学兴趣区。Another idea would be to set up an outdoor science and nature center in which children can investigate materials found outdoors (e.g., leaves, sticks, seed pods) using magnifying glasses, scissors, etc. Found natural materials could also be used in an outdoor art interest area in which children can trace, draw or make rubbings or prints of these materials.

空间

Make the most of the space you have. Not all outdoor spaces are ideal, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a playground with only metal play structures and asphalt. Get creative! Your local home improvement store can be a great resource. Consider filling plastic rain gutters with dirt and letting children use them as planters or sensory bins. Ask volunteers to install bird feeders or raised garden beds.

你的户外游戏空间将培养创造性的游戏，如果你包括“松散的部分”，或开放式的游戏材料（回收纸板箱，板条箱，PVC管，牛奶盒）儿童可以用于建设（麦克斯韦，米切尔和埃文斯，2008年）。封闭的空间（如游戏室、堡垒）是操场的固定部分，或者更好的是，由孩子们自己建造的空间有助于培养戏剧性的游戏。尽可能多地提供能“成为”儿童游戏中多种事物的游戏设备，有助于培养创造力。如果你有机会帮助挑选游戏装备，尽量避免使用体现一个想法的物品和结构（例如海盗船攀爬者），而是选择可以具有多种身份的物品（例如，更简单的游戏结构）。

It is also important to include equipment that will help children work on their gross-motor skills. Gross-motor skills are those that involve large muscle movements of the body and include running, jumping, throwing and maintaining balance. Fixed playground equipment is not necessary for children to experience high levels of physical activity outside. In fact, children are often most physically active when they play with portable equipment such as balls, bicycles, hula hoops, etc. (Kreichauf et al., 2012).

Accessibility

Just as in the classroom, you must ensure your outdoor spaces are organized for independence, easy use and learning. Children must be able to easily access materials and equipment. Outdoor paths, walkways and stairs should be clearly marked and free of obstruction. It is important to make sure gross-motor play can happen safely in one area without disrupting play in another area. For example, a tricycle path should not go right through an area where children are drawing with chalk. You also want to separate the quiet activities (art, chalk, blocks, sand) from the loud and active activities (ball play, bikes, running). Also, remember to include smocks in strategic areas; offering smocks or old shirts can help some children (and families) feel more comfortable with messy outdoor art, sensory or science ideas (e.g., mud play or exploration).

总电机设备的尺寸和水平必须在课堂上的儿童开发。应该有足够的机动设备（例如，自行车），孩子们可以使用设备而无需漫长的等待。室外玩具如球和戏剧剧本的道具可以放置在易于访问箱，铲斗或容器中。这也将使儿童能够轻松帮助清理到里面是时候。正如室内环境所讨论的那样，标记您在室外使用的篮子或垃圾箱可以促进清理并创建丰富的环境。

考虑个人儿童的需求。有些孩子，特别是残疾人或特殊需要的孩子可能在户外环境中具有困难。您可以在课堂上就像在课堂上一样对这些孩子进行调整。您可以调整材料和空间（安装轮椅可访问的挥杆，安装栏杆，下水桌），以最适合其需求。如室内环境课程所述，与儿童家庭和教练，教练或主管交谈，以确定可能需要什么修改。此外，由于作为户外游戏空间可以让孩子们使用他们的更响亮的声音和“松散”，确保您在外面提供平静的空间，也许是舒缓材料的伴随的垃圾箱。有关更多信息，请参阅孩子们包括在一起材料（https://www.kit.org/who-we-are/our-work/）。

看

观看学龄前计划如何充亚慱彩票分利用户外空间。

Outdoor Spaces for Learning

Do

Offer a range of opportunities for outdoor play:

• Offer dramatic play, sand and water, blocks and music and movement outdoors.
• 寻找发现和科学的自然机会。请注意您的操场上的昆虫，动物，泥土和天然材料。
• Provide materials that allow for large- and small-muscle play. Have a variety of bicycles, balls and other toys.
• Offer interesting and unique experiences: plant a garden, build a stage for plays or create an obstacle course.