Settings share their experiences of outdoor play using Active Boundaries resources.
Blossom Years, Imperial Way, is a Preschool Nursery in Chislehurst which is a green village in South London, with woodlands, fields and duck ponds. Chislehurst is classed as an affluent area.
The Preschool is next to Belmont Open Space and woodland with a Forest School Garden that backs on to a large field with horses which are very popular with the staff and children.
"We thought the Active Boundary equipment would extend their favourite activities, allow them to make choices and give more ‘open ended’ opportunities for play. The equipment is great for demonstrating positional language, the children like to show me how they can “squeeze” through fence spaces and “crawl under” the ladder. The children also like to ‘decorate’ the fences and hang things off the posts.
"Although the children like to play independently they also enjoy inviting the adults to join in their play and like to show us what they can do, they ask us to “watch me ... ” or “I can do ... ”
This morning there was storm damage in the garden and we went for a walk around Forest School looking for changes. The children enjoyed working together to lift up and reposition the fence panels which had been blown over, it’s great that the AB resources are portable and can be moved around. I have also been using the fence panels to block off our fire pit when we are cooking, it means the children can watch what’s going on safely."
We set up the equipment in a basic circular shape and waited to see what the children would do. Once they had mastered the ladder and stile we felt comfortable to add some loose parts for them to include.
We have cable reels that became tables, camouflage netting which became a shelter, cushions that became a bed, and wind chimes and signs which became decorations for their structures.
They also bring the pots and pans from the mud kitchen to extend the activity and the younger children like to use the wheelbarrows to transport the dinosaurs, trucks and bark to ‘their space’.
St Patrick’s Family Learning Centre operates from 8am-6pm; accommodated within a PPP facility which was purpose built in 2007. It comprises of 2 small playrooms for younger children and 1 large open plan room for 3–5-year-olds. Children hold various attendance patterns to support the needs of families.
All children have daily access to both indoor and outdoor learning opportunities and in the larger room this access is free-flow for most of the day.
"One of our Lead Practitioners who had been looking for flexible boundaries for our 3-5 garden entered a Muddy Faces Active Boundaries newsletter giveaway and won!
We constantly strive to improve our outdoors environment to keep it stimulating and interesting for the children and the active boundaries resources seemed to fit the bill perfectly as they can be moved, interchanged with other resources, and also invite ideas and suggestions from the children as to how to use them.
"Our children were so excited when they saw the new resources. They offered ideas about where they should be placed, moved them around, helped each other lift and manoeuvre the various sections, drew their ideas on large scale plans and took photographs for our display wall.
Staff noticed that some of the children required support to climb up the stile and also to remember to bend down low enough to crawl through the flap, this then led onto some children role modelling actions for other peers and also challenging staff to copy too – much to the children’s delight and which caused lots of laughter as they watched staff shimmy under, through and over the boundaries.
It’s been lovely seeing the teamwork develop amongst the children. The children have been developing not only their spatial awareness and physical skills but their mathematical and expressive language, their technical skills in problem solving, positive relationships and imagination."
Involve all children and staff in planning where and how to use the resources.
These resources have been in our setting for approximately 6 months and are still being used in a purposeful way by both staff and children alike.
Active Boundaries
Children in the Early Years (and of all ages) have an endless fascination with exploring boundaries; given the opportunity they will consistently cross over, under or through them.
The world is full of boundaries and edges, not only physical but also social, all of which need to be identified, explored and played with to be understood.
Join us going Over, Under & Through (OUT) our Active Boundaries.
NEW and EXCLUSIVE to Muddy Faces.
Introduction to Active Boundaries
We are committed to supporting you & your groups to experience rich outdoor play & learning and nature connection in Early Years and Primary level, Forest School and other outdoor settings.
Active Boundaries is our most recent initiative and we are very excited and proud to share it with our community. As change-makers, we are constantly striving to deliver opportunities to develop good practice and empower practitioners to help children embrace the outdoors.
Risk
Recommended books on risk; risk in the news; reports & research; sample/template risk assessment forms.
Read More about Risk
EXCLUSIVE to Muddy Faces
Active Boundaries resources create unique spaces in your outdoor environment. Fences, gates, stiles, tunnels & bridges provide enriching experiences and physical challenges for children.
The Active Boundaries range has evolved through research and consultation with outdoor education specialists: explore the in-depth pedagogy that has shaped the development of our resources & loo at case studies in our FREE Outdoor Hub.
Our Over, Under, Through (OUT) ranges go beyond promoting physical activity; they also stimulate emotional engagement by creating intrigue, opportunities, and challenges.