Outdoor Space for Early Childhood Education and Care

Order Id: 1015216
Subject: Early Childhood Education and Care
Introduction
The rationale behind choosing an outdoor space for early childhood education and care has been
recognized. Apart from the health benefits and associated fitness, there has been a resurgence of
awareness in teaching children outside the boundaries of the classroom (Harriman, 2008). The
use of outdoor learning spaces for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers is a popular practice
currently (Bilton, 2002) with emphasis on developing their confidence and independent learning
capabilities (Conroy, et al., 2008). While planning for outdoor learning for children, their health
risk and safety need to be accounted for. On the lap of nature, children feel excited owing to the
sight, smell and sound and this paves way for their curiosity which stimulates their learning
process (HMIe, 2007: 14). During the process of setting up an outdoor space for childhood
education and care, it needs to be ensured that too much constructions and structures are not
included in order to ensure children do not get distracted.
(a) In the existing diagram as shown under:

a few features have been repetitive. For example, the flower garden, mat and box in the top left
hand corner may be replaced with swings, synthetic soft falls and a flat synthetic turf. The lower
left corner where there are 2-3 rooms and building can be modifies with a snack area.
Additionally, there needs to be an area for first aid in case of an emergency.
(b) Rational for decision making for the planned environment in terms of :
i) Provision of spaces for different age groups:
Different age groups have different learning needs. In the early years which includes
the infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers, the emphasis of learning areas can be
imaginative as can be experienced by the chidren in the jungle gym, creative as is in
the art and craft area, with a snack area to help them learn to share, an area including
the flower garden and vegetable garden to develop horticulture skills, water area,
large movement area as in the modified diagram with swings, synthetic soft falls and
a flat synthetic turf.
ii) Affordances for physical activity, risk-taking, engagement with nature, and
embedding sustainable practices
The modified diagram can actually provide enough scope for physical activities for
children of all the three age groups, the risk- taking abilities can be developed further
in the large movement area where children can get very active, may fall a few times
but gradually would be able to develop defence capabilities. Their engagement with
nature can be developed with bird tables, feeders, in the jungle gym with wild life,
cameras, weather chart, binoculars and so on. Sustainable practices can be developed
with the cycling track which helps in the development of the locomotor. Other
activities such as walking, jumping, running, skipping, hopping, leaping, standing,
crawling and sitting also help in sustainable development of the children.
iii) Health, safety and regulatory considerations
While choosing the equipments for the children, it needs to be ensured that they offer
low possibility of risk and challenge, abide by the health norms especially as infants
can have a tendency to chew the play materials. There needs to be sufficient adult
supervision to ensure the safety requirements.
iv) Consideration of issues of inclusion and catering for children of diverse abilities,
gender, backgrounds and interests.
The three fundamental concepts involved in Child education are belonging, being and
becoming. The sense of belongingness towards family, society, community are
essential for a child for his or, her future personality development. The concept of
being fundamentally means allowing children to be themselves. Childhood represents
the time when the world is explored and discovered through the up’s and down’s of
life. It encompasses overcoming the hurdles involved in daily life, and getting to