Active Boundaries: children in the Early Years (and of all ages) have an endless fascination with exploring boundaries; given the opportunity they will actively cross over, under or through them.
Bridges & stiles appeal to children’s innate urge to climb and elevate themselves off the ground even when it is a challenge, perhaps because it is a challenge. Vertical exploration needs coordination, balance, strength & bravery. It can take repeated attempts and determination to master the skills needed to scale an obstacle.
An engaging play resource is designed to challenge children both physically and mentally, fostering thoughtful risk-taking.
The experience of 'going up' a stile, ladder or over a bridge promises multiple rewards including an elevated view for surveying the surroundings and gaining an unfamiliar perspective; a profound sense of accomplishment derived from overcoming challenges; the exhilaration of ascending to height; and sometimes the anticipation that comes with a thrilling descent.
Babies show an innate desire to climb, many of us having experienced their determined drive to climb up the stairs even before they can walk!
These amazing bridge photos have been supplied by Unnur Henrys from Iceland.
Made from a large pipe, this bridge provides physical challenge and a sense of peril. The surface of the bridge is not flat and plastic can be slippy, which means children may need to hold on to the sides as they traverse. They need to step up or down onto it and climb over the rocks at the end. The bridge is going over a stream so has a legitimate reason to exist as well as being exciting to cross.
A rope has also been installed to offer high up support but children will need strength and agility to hold onto the rope whilst crossing.
Unnur explained that the kids love this bridge and go over it again and again. I wonder if they would be so fascinated if it wasn't so challenging, I doubt it. Thank you Unnur for this different bridge example. (Liz)
Young children learn about themselves and their environment through movement ...movement is 'thought in action'. ( Ouvry, 2003)
Often the whole body is employed to achieve the required movement to overcome the challenge.
Thanks to Kirstine Beeley from Early Years on a shoe string for providing the photo.
Photo contribution thanks to:
Ann Thompson from Naturally Creative Early Years Consultancy
Kirstine Beeley from Early Years on a shoe string
Narelle Debenham from Natured Kids from Australia
Brendan O'Neill from Derbyshire
Definition - an arrangement of steps that allows people but not animals to climb over a fence or wall.
History - Old English stigel, stile, a word related to stigen "to climb," from Proto-Germanic stig "to climb".
Definition - a structure carrying a road, path, railway, etc. across a river, road, or other obstacle
- connecting, transitional, or intermediate route or phase between two adjacent elements, activities, conditions, or the like.
Author Steven Desmond climbs back through history to uncover the origins of the stile and understand why these charming country crossings are no longer such a common feature of our landscape. With examples of different kinds of stiles
in the Muddy Faces shop.
This ladder stile is child scale and made in the UK from sustainable materials making it suitable for outdoor use in your early years setting. The stile is designed to look and feel like a real stile that children could see ...
Perfect for nurseries and pre schools to offer an engaging sustainable and long lasting resource which supports physical development and imaginative play. A freestanding stile with steps that require thought on how to climb up and over. The shape is similar ...
This sturdy wooden bridge appeals to pre-school and nursery children’s innate urge to climb and it can also be used to support loose parts. Made from quality wood in our UK workshop, this bridge is designed for longevity in the outdoors and ...
Squeezes & gaps
Active Boundaries: children in the Early Years (and of all ages) have an endless fascination with exploring boundaries; given the opportunity they will actively cross over, under or through them.
Both inviting and challenging, squeezes and gaps require children to bend, crawl and squirm to travel under or through.
Read More about Squeezes & gaps
Tunnels
Active Boundaries: children in the Early Years (and of all ages) have an endless fascination with exploring boundaries; given the opportunity they will actively cross over, under or through them.
Traversing through a tunnel offers a holistic and sensory-rich experience, as well as engaging various muscle sets as children bend and crawl. The senses come alive - feeling changes in texture, altered light, echoey or muffled sounds, smells and the airflow different from the open space.
Tunnels can provide a mysterious journey, entering from one end and emerging somewhere new can create a portal for the imagination.
Read More about Tunnels
Peepholes
Active Boundaries: children in the Early Years (and of all ages) have an endless fascination with exploring boundaries; given the opportunity they will actively cross over, under or through them.
Children are drawn to peepholes because they satisfy their natural curiosity, offer a sense of discovery, provide a feeling of control, stimulate imagination, and can be part of playful interactions.