Young Children’s Outdoor Play-Based Learning

In this chapter, we consider current thinking about young children’s learning when they engage in outdoor play. The role of the teacher, parent and/or caregiver (hereafter ‘adult’) and the importance of cultural context in relation to the learning that takes place outside is explored. Recent research, noting the reduced opportunities for unsupervised outdoor play, centres upon: The child’s developmental outcomes, e.g., physical, socio-emotional, cognitive, creativity and imagination; as well as connections with the non-human natural world. The adult’s role in children’s play, learning, access to and engagement with the outdoors. The setting, i.e., urban spaces, natural/non-built spaces, pedagogical spaces