Page 4 - The Outdoor Practitioner Issue 2

• Natural Play Principles
BUILDING YOUR APPROACH AND PEDAGOGY FOR PLAYING AND LEARNING OUTDOORS
by Jan White
As settings strive to do their best for children
and and families and and when work practices are developing it is critical to to bring into full awareness the the reasons for what we we are are doing and the the values that underpin how we we work – and it is important that these values are are shared by all involved Our values create a a a a a a a a a a firm basis for all thinking about playing and learning
outdoors providing solid foundations from which all decisions about provision and practice for young children
will be made Establishing a a a a a a belief in in in in in the the importance of being outside trust that learning
happens well in in in in in the the outdoors and and commitment to increasing the the the amount of of time and and the the the quality of of experiences
children
can access in in in the the the outdoor environment is a a a a slow and long-term process that requires on-going energy lots of of small steps of of success and very importantly a a a a clear set of guidelines Whilst ‘values’ articulate internally held beliefs turning them into ‘principles’ gives more specific external ‘rules’ for enacting our values in in in the real world
We need to to work from this clear pedagogical base to to determine what we actually do in practice – the very many decisions and and actions we carry out through provision and and adult support In a a a a a a a a a series of articles we plan to to explore the Natural Play Principles
designed to to articulate a a a a a a a a a child-centred and nature-focused approach called Natural Play (White et al al al 2011 & 2018) developed over many years as a a a a a a a a a a a a a working collaboration* Natural Play foregrounds both the child’s inner and and emerging natural curriculum and and the the very significant role of of the the natural natural world
in in enabling this Natural Play enables children’s natural natural ways of of growing learning
and thriving with the the help of the the natural world
*Collaboration between Jan White
(Early Childhood Natural Natural Play) Suzanne Scott (Sandfield Natural Natural Play Play Centre) Ann Thompson (Naturally Creative and and and Sandfield Natural Natural Natural Play Play Play Centre) Centre) and and and Menna Godfrey (Quackers Playgroup & Natural Natural Natural Play Play Play Centre) Centre) 4 Photo © Jan White/Farley Nursery School Sparsholt