Why Choose an Outdoor Nursery?

Choosing an outdoor nursery for your child has many benefits. We believe allowing young children the opportunity to spend extended periods of time outside provides them with unique experiences which will enhance their overall wellbeing and development.

Simply being outdoors…

• by spending long periods immersed in the natural world, children become significantly more aware of their surroundings. They feel more connected to the world around them and their place within it. They learn to understand and appreciate the ever changing and evolving natural environment throughout the seasons. They feel a sense of belonging and hopefully develop the desire to protect and care for the natural world as they develop and grow. 

• Fresh air – spending up to 7 hours a day breathing in clean, fresh air reduces the air pollution risks associated with living in a city and limits the risks of viral and bacterial spread from others.

• Sensory stimulation – nothing quite beats our natural world for meaningful sensory experiences.
  • Sights – the changing colour of the leaves in the autumn; magical undisturbed woodland snowscapes; rainbows appearing across a vast, open sky; deer jumping through the bracken nearby; a heron swooping down to the river; tiny bugs hidden under logs; snowdrop shoots peeking through the mud; mystery pawprints…
  • Sounds – birdsong, from tweets and squawks to hoots and buzzes; wind blowing through the leaves; bouncing raindrops under a roof of canvas; splashing and squelching welly boots; other people talking, singing and laughing…
  • Smells – flowers in the spring; wet summer rain; conkers and falling leaves in the autumn; pine in the winter frost…
  • Touch – mud between your fingers and rubbed on your skin – it can be smooth or lumpy, squelchy and gooey, or hard and crumbly; trees, branches, sticks, leaves, rocks and stones – they can be rough, jaggy, smooth, slimy, big or small; warm grass on a summer’s day; rain splashing on your face...

Learning outdoors…

When publishing a Curriculum for Excellence, the Scottish Government also published a guide to which of the hundreds of stated learning ‘experiences and outcomes’ could be successfully delivered outside. The document confirms that ALL areas of the Early Level, First Level, and even Second and Third Level Curriculum can be delivered outdoors. It is only during the senior phase of education (from approx. S3) that some curriculum areas need indoor facilities. We are delighted that Education Scotland confirms that children can experience the full curriculum outdoors and we aim to do just that. Children at Woodland Outdoor Kindergartens experience the full Early Level curriculum whilst in calming, natural woodland environments. There is no compromise to your child’s curricular experiences by choosing an outdoor nursery for their pre school learning. In our view, it can only be enhanced. Please see our numeracy and literacy blogs for more information on how we support development in these two key areas.

Playing outdoors…

Our woodland areas provide unlimited opportunities for genuine, child-led play without any direction or well-meaning influence from adults. Play in this way supports development of a child’s independence, confidence, imagination and creativity. There are no ‘toys’ or prescriptive resources so children develop their own thoughts, plans and ideas and we can vouch for the fact that young children’s imaginations are truly limitless! Child-led play is also vital for a child to develop their own sense of self and how to relate to and empathise with others. Group play also allows children to learn from each other and develop essential problem-solving, negotiation, group working and leadership skills.

We believe that play of this type is best experienced outdoors in wild, open spaces. Our woodland areas are beautifully varied which offers children multiple settings for their play throughout the day. Children can choose to play large, wide games with lots of running, jumping and loud voices. Or they might choose to play in smaller places, perhaps whilst hiding in a rhododendron bush, or tucked away in behind a wide tree trunk. They might choose to play on their own or with a group of friends.

Sometimes in the space of just a few minutes we can see one child running wildly around, jumping over logs shouting about the dragon chasing him, four children tucked in a bush playing ‘mums and dads’, a group making some kind of structure that we are not yet privy to the purpose of, and another two balancing on a fallen tree trunk deep in conversation agreeing the ‘rules’ of their developing game…

Child-led play is magical and essential in equal measures. We believe all children should be provided with extended opportunities for uninterrupted play.

Government funded places…

We can provide your child with a fully funded place, and from August the number of ‘free’ hours available will increase to almost 23 hours a week. From August, funded places will now ‘follow the child’ so even if you live in a Local Authority area out with Glasgow then you can still choose to have your funded place at Woodland Outdoor Kindergartens. We also work with all Local Authorities to offer blended places, where your child can attend our Kindergarten and another setting and split the funded hours.

In summary, we believe that choosing an outdoor nursery for your child offers them the best of both worlds and provides them with a truly unique and memorable start to their educational journey. We are humbled and honoured to say that over 1000 families across Glasgow and beyond have agreed with us so far!

Contact us now to find out more or to book a trial day or visit.

The WOK Team