What's so Special about the Outdoors?

Are you ready to spend more time outdoors and to advocate for outdoor play?

About the Course

Through practical stories and examples, participants will unpack the challenges of outdoor play, the value of long periods of time outdoors and the practicalities for engaging with children in outdoor environments in meaningful ways.

The course is broken up into five sections and the following is covered:

Course Introduction

Section 1 - Where are you now?

• current thoughts, mindset and challenges in relation to outdoor play and environments
• the role of memories and memory development
• looking at your environment

Section 2 - The physical health benefits of outdoor play

• immunity
• sensory integration and its role in development
• motor development

Section 3 - Emotional health and wellbeing

• personality types
• risk in the outdoors
• risk taking dispositions and resilience

Section 4 - The physical environment

• play affordance in the outdoor environment
• resources

Section 5 - Where to now?

• advocating for outdoor play
• Planning for change - including QIP and budgets

There are reflection/assessment questions throughout the course.

What will I learn from the What's So Special About the Outdoors? course?

The physical benefits of outdoor play

You will learn about the role of sensory integration and how core motor skills developed in the outdoors, provide benefits in other areas.