ABSTRACT
One of the major joys that young children have is to be surrounded by enough space to be really energetic, to explore to the limits their physical skills and to thus gain the confidence to ‘take manageable risks in their play’.73 In this chapter we will explore how this valuable area of provision can give children opportunities to develop not only their physical skills but also to develop emotionally, socially and cognitively. In other words, a wellresourced outside area is a rich environment, offering learning opportunities across the curriculum. Through play there are possibilities for children to experience a wide range of areas of enquiry – mathematical, scientific and technological, creative and linguistic – in enjoyable and independent ways which we considered in greater depths in Chapter 1.
