Outdoors

‘Learning need not take place solely within educational buildings. The outdoor environment has massive potential for learning. We are extremely fortunate to have such rich urban and rural environments on our doorsteps and our children and young people’s learning experiences can be enhanced by maximising the potential of the outdoors. The Scottish Government is keen to see all our children and young people having positive learning experiences in a variety of settings.’   Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning

Why Learn Outdoors?

Outdoor Learning provides opportunities for Real World learning, engages all learners, and links us more strongly to the communities we live and work in.

If you wish to evaluate your own school’s current practice in learning outdoors see EAC LOST OL Audit & Self Evaluation Toolkit.

We have created suggestions and lesson ideas covering all curricular areas.

We have Teaching and Learning Resources – Teachers aimed at learning experiences led by teachers working from school.  You may also find  links here to high quality resources mapped to Curriculum for Excellence from National Partners.

We have a bank of resources created for Remote Learning which can be used by both teachers setting tasks for learning at home and families.

In addition, we have a dedicated section of lessons we have used in our special schools and with supported learning bases and hubs.

Teachers in East Ayrshire can also access our Out of the Box Resources for free.

We are often approached by colleagues who are looking for ideas for short sessions outdoors perhaps to revisit learning or to refresh pupils after an extended period indoors. In response we have created a 20 Minute Activities Early Level planner, a 20 Minute Activities First Level planner and a 20 Minute Activities Second Level planner showing short, curriculum linked activities suitable for use in the playground.  Relevant sections of HGIOS4 have been highlighted.

The following pages cover suggestions for activities which can be used to support learning across the curriculum.

Growing and Gardening

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Adventure

Play and Fun

Eco Schools

Seasonal Activities

Wider Achievement

You could also start to work towards a wider achievement award with your class.  Find out more  Wider Achievement in EAC

Interdisciplinary Learning

An excellent starting point would be one of the whole school literacy and heritage topic boxes.  These resources have lessons across all curricular areas and have opportunities for learning at Early, First and Second Level, making them ideally placed to support multi-composite classes.

Literacy out of the Box

Heritage out of the Box

Please contact us if you would like any specific areas covered, or you have ideas that you would like us to share.

Please look at our Professional Development pages for CPD, Policy, Evidence, recent relevant articles and future pages on practical tips for group management, assessment, pedagogy and planning.  Although copious amounts of equipment aren’t always necessary, we have shared comprehensive lists of our go-to pieces of equipment for outdoor learning here.

Indoors