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You can do many things to help children experience nature and learn in the outdoors. Children spend as much as two hours per day outdoors in many programs. This is valuable time for children to develop their large muscles and sophisticated play skills. Much of what you do in the classroom can be easily translated to the outdoor environment. You do that by incorporating safety, design, space and accessibility.

Safety

Evaluate your outdoor learning environments. Make sure the equipment is safe and the environment is free from preventable risks. You must consider fall zones, surfacing, access to shade and the condition of materials and equipment. The Safety course contains detailed information regarding what to check in outdoor environments to assure children’s safety prior to outdoor play.

In some settings, your playground may be used by the community during the evening; perhaps your program shares a community park. Even if your playground is protected by a fence, it is still possible that hazardous materials could find their way onto the playground. Before you take children outside, you must be vigilant about inspecting the playground each day. Look for:

• Debris (glass, cigarette butts, litter, building supplies)
• Animal excrement and other foreign material
• 覆盖物太薄
• 积水、冰或雪
• Surfaces that are too hot or cold for children to touch safely
• 可能导致伤害的自然物体（锋利的岩石，树桩，根，树枝）
• 不安全的昆虫（蚁丘，蜂箱，黄蜂巢）
• 沟、洞、井和陷阱
• Exposed power lines or utility equipment

记得检查运动表面的温度。金属或塑料滑道、工作台和浇注混凝土表面可能会变得非常热和非常冷。检查表面是否因温度变化或水损坏而产生裂缝。

你应该从仔细检查户外游乐区和设备开始每一天。这将有助于防止重大伤害或事故。在你的户外游乐区走动，使用你的项目或安全课程提供的安全检查表。与培训师、教练或主管谈谈你所看到的。

Design

精心设计户外学习区，以支持全方位的儿童游戏和活动。狗万app怎么下载您可以创建感兴趣的区域，就像您为室内空间所做的那样。对于幼儿园来说，这些区域可能包括沙子、水、轮式玩具、游戏、建筑、木工、安静的活动、科学和自然（Dodge等人，2010）。你在室内提供的许多相同的材料可以用来促进户外的参与。万博体育全站app

An outdoor quiet activities interest area, for example, could consist of baskets of books in the shade under a tree. An outdoor dramatic play interest area could incorporate props such as blankets, picnic baskets, plastic dishes, utensils and dress-up clothes. You can also incorporate traditional outdoor toys into these interest areas. For example, you could create an outdoor art or writing interest area with sidewalk chalk, or you could incorporate bubble solution and wands of various shapes and sizes into an outdoor discovery/science interest area. Another idea would be to set up an outdoor science and nature center in which children can investigate materials found outdoors (e.g., leaves, sticks, seed pods) using magnifying glasses, scissors, etc. Found natural materials could also be used in an outdoor art interest area in which children can trace, draw or make rubbings or prints of these materials.

Space

充分利用你的空间。并非所有的户外空间都是理想的，但这并不意味着你必须满足于只有金属结构和沥青的游乐场。发挥创造力！您当地的家装店可以是一个伟大的资源。考虑在塑料雨水槽里装满泥土，让孩子们把它们当作花盆或感官垃圾箱。请志愿者安装喂鸟器或加高的花园床。

Your outdoor play space will foster creative play if you include “loose parts,” or open-ended play materials (recycled cardboard boxes, crates, PVC pipes, milk cartons) children can use for construction (Maxwell, Mitchell, & Evans, 2008). Enclosed spaces (e.g., playhouses, forts) that are a fixed part of the playground—or, even better, that have been constructed by children themselves—foster dramatic play. As much as possible, providing play equipment that can “become” multiple things in children’s play tends to foster creativity. If you have the opportunity to help pick play equipment, try to avoid items and structures that embody one idea (e.g., a pirate ship climber), and instead choose items that can take on multiple identities (e.g., more simple play structures).

同样重要的是要包括有助于孩子们提高粗大运动技能的设备。粗大运动技能是指那些涉及身体大肌肉运动的技能，包括跑步、跳跃、投掷和保持平衡。固定的游乐场设备不是孩子们在户外进行高强度体育活动所必需的。事实上，当孩子们玩球、自行车、呼啦圈等便携式设备时，他们的身体往往最活跃（Kreichauf等人，2012）。

Accessibility

Just as in the classroom, you must ensure your outdoor spaces are organized for independence, easy use and learning. Children must be able to easily access materials and equipment. Outdoor paths, walkways and stairs should be clearly marked and free of obstruction. It is important to make sure gross-motor play can happen safely in one area without disrupting play in another area. For example, a tricycle path should not go right through an area where children are drawing with chalk. You also want to separate the quiet activities (art, chalk, blocks, sand) from the loud and active activities (ball play, bikes, running). Also, remember to include smocks in strategic areas; offering smocks or old shirts can help some children (and families) feel more comfortable with messy outdoor art, sensory or science ideas (e.g., mud play or exploration).

The size and level of gross-motor equipment must be developmentally appropriate for the children in your classroom. There should be enough gross-motor equipment (e.g., bikes) that children can use the equipment without a long wait. Outdoor toys such as balls and props for dramatic play can be placed in easy access bins, buckets or containers. This will also make it easy for children to help clean up when it is time to go back inside. As discussed for indoor environments, labeling the baskets or bins you use outdoors can facilitate clean-up and create a print-rich environment.

Consider the needs of individual children. Some children, especially those with disabilities or special needs, may have difficulties in the outdoor environment. You can make adaptations for these children just as you would in the classroom. You can adjust the materials and spaces (install a wheelchair-accessible swing, install railings, lower a water table) to best fit their needs. As discussed in the Indoor Environment lesson, talk with children’s families and your trainer, coach or supervisor to determine what modifications may be necessary. Also, because as outdoor play spaces can let children use their louder voices and “let loose,” make sure you have calming spaces available outside, perhaps with an accompanying bin of soothing materials. For more information, see the Kids Included Together materials (https://www.kit.org/who-we-are/our-work/).

See

Watch how preschool programs make the most of outdoor space.

室外空间学习狗万app怎么下载

Do

Offer a range of opportunities for outdoor play:

• 提供戏剧表演、沙子和水、积木、音乐和户外运动。
• Find natural opportunities for discovery and science. Notice the insects, animals, mud and natural materials on your playground.
• 提供适合大小肌肉活动的材料。有各种自行车、球和其他玩具。
• 提供有趣而独特的体验：种植一个花园，为戏剧搭建一个舞台或创建一个障碍课程。