ABSTRACT
Many children in Western industrialised countries spend a large proportion of their time indoors. The combined effects of increasing fear of paedophilia, rising traffic levels (partly caused by wider educational choice and the associated middle-class ‘school run’), and the attractions of electronic games have led to a generation of children with little experience of outdoor play. This has worried many educators, some of whom also point to a decline in field studies undertaken as part of school curriculum time in science and other subject areas (Peacock 2006). The perceived bureaucracy associated with undertaking risk assessments – combined with the associated fear of litigation should an accident occur – is sometimes cited as a reason for teachers being unwilling to take children outside the school grounds. However, a study of teachers’ attitudes to ‘education outside the classroom’ (EOtC) (O’Donnell et al. 2006) found a general perception that the extent of provision had either increased over the previous five years or remained broadly the same. The activities where a decline in activity was most frequently reported were off-site residential experiences in the UK and abroad, whereas school-site activities or off-site day visits were relatively common. However, most of these visits were to urban or built environments such as museums in which much of the learning was indoors, rather than to rural or ‘natural’ spaces. It is interesting to speculate why this might be the case. Are teachers more nervous about taking groups of children to natural, outdoor environments because there is less ‘structure’ and therefore more potential for losing control of the group? Are outdoor environments perceived as more risky, with the potential for falling into rivers or suffering allergic reactions to wasp stings? Or are teachers unconvinced of the value of outdoor learning and therefore less sure of what to do with an outdoor space? There is plenty of evidence that outdoor learning is good for children, both cognitively and emotionally. For example, one review of research from around the
world (Malone 2008) suggests that children involved in EOtC attain higher levels of knowledge and skills, have greater levels of physical fitness and motor skill development, increased confidence and self-esteem, show leadership qualities, are socially competent and more environmentally responsible. Opportunities for children to engage in explorative play and experiential learning activities in school grounds, wilderness camps, art galleries, parks or community settings can help them achieve aspects of all five of the UK government’s Every Child Matters key outcomes connected with wellbeing (DCSF 2007). As a more holistic approach to teaching and learning, EOtC allows children to:
become risk aware but not risk averse in managing their own safety; undertake meaningful exercise as a means of staying healthy and learning more
about themselves and their environment; have fun and enjoyment and achieve negotiated goals; have the opportunity to work with others and to contribute as ‘active citizens’ in a
vast array of activities, many in their local community; develop skills and self-confidence that can be applied later in their life.
