Ensuring Outdoor Safety for Play and Learning in Our Nurseries

Access to the great outdoors is a big part of our commitment to all children in our care here at My Ohana. Which is why, regardless of the weather, we always try to bridge inside and outdoor activities on a regular basis – falling back on our child-led model where possible, while ensuring that young people are exposed to both play and learning opportunities.

Of course, there are extra considerations that we need to take into account when it comes to outdoor play. With less control over the environment that children are playing and engaging in, outdoor play and learning requires additional risk assessments and supervision – with members of the team always on hand to ensure children are safe.

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of outdoor play and why the heightened risk is worth the reward.

We can’t ignore the creative benefits of playing outside for children of all ages, who reinvent their natural surroundings and create dens, pirate ships, castles, and houses from the simplest of outdoor spaces. When children are encouraged to play outside, their imaginations come alive.

What’s more, spending time surrounded by nature is undoubtedly the best way of igniting an interest in and passion for the outside world. Inviting children to not only learn about but spend time surrounded by nature, cultural capital, and diverse settings, is (in our opinion) the best way to nurture open-minded and genuinely curious individuals. It also encourages them to overcome challenges and obstacles, think for themselves, and push their physical boundaries to jump, run, push, and climb on equipment that they don’t have access to inside.

And we can’t ignore the simple fact that outside play is the children’s favourite part of the day! Which is why keeping them safe with a comprehensive safety plan and checklist is so important for the whole My Ohana team.

The easiest way to nurture safe outside play is to create, design, and build an outside area that is both immersive and safe.

For older children, this can include climbing frames and fields that expose them to fresh air and plenty of exercise. For younger children, sand pits and slides are some of the most popular activities to partake in.

At each of our My Ohana nurseries, we strive to offer access to these curated outside spaces, as well as offer opportunities to explore further afield. Physical health and active play are encouraged through our nursery trips, while an interest in the natural world and cultural capital are inspired through outings and trips.

In our opinion, it is only by offering both the regimented play of an outside playground, and the freer access to natural settings, that we can really introduce children to the world around them.

What all of this means is that safety forms an integral part of our preparation process – ensuring that we have first aid equipment on hand when it’s needed, as well as a comprehensive understanding of any allergies and underlying conditions that each child may have.

Any trips and outside adventures that we partake in as part of the nursery day are fully risk assessed, and we always reach out to parents and seek consent before taking children away from the nursery setting – keeping you fully informed every step of the way.

At My Ohana, we believe that there is no better way to learn about the natural world than to really become immersed in it. That’s why we bridge outside play with outdoor classes, which allow them to delve deeper into the great outdoors and see, hear, and feel all the things that they learn about inside.

For us, the three main pillars of childhood development are Mind, Body, and World – all three of which can be inspired and ignited by time spent outside. From physical exercise spent surrounded by fresh air, to exposure to both the natural world and cultural capital through playtime and day trips, our programme of learning and development is built on a blended approach to nursery.

To find out more about our programme and to discuss availability across our sites, reach out to a member of the My Ohana team today.