Developing a Playful Outdoor Learning Environment in KS1 and Beyond
The transition from EYFS into Key Stage 1 should not mean leaving play-based learning behind. For children aged 5–7, outdoor learning provides an important bridge between the hands-on, exploratory approach of the Early Years and the increasing academic expectations of KS1.
A well-designed outdoor environment gives children opportunities to move, investigate, question, create, collaborate and solve problems while applying the knowledge and skills they are developing across the curriculum. It is not an alternative to teaching – it is another way of teaching.
Why does outdoor learning matter in KS1?
Children do not experience learning as a series of separate subjects. They learn through doing, talking, experimenting, imagining and interacting with the world around them. Outdoor environments provide space for this to happen in meaningful and purposeful ways.
Play supports much more than physical development. It can strengthen:
• Communication, language and vocabulary
• Problem-solving and critical thinking
• Early mathematical understanding
• Reading and writing skills
• Creativity and imagination
• Collaboration and social development
• Independence and self-regulation
• Physical confidence and coordination
• Resilience, curiosity and motivation
The importance of play is recognised internationally through Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which recognises every child’s right to play. The value of play in learning is also reflected in decades of educational research and in the work of influential educators such as Friedrich Froebel, who recognised children as active, curious learners who develop through activity, exploration and play.
For schools, the question is therefore not whether children should play, but how we can use play and the outdoor environment more effectively to support learning.
Bringing the KS1 curriculum outdoors
Outdoor learning should not be an isolated activity or something that happens only when the weather is good. With thoughtful planning, the outdoor environment can become an extension of the classroom and a valuable curriculum resource.
A carefully designed space can support children to:
Explore mathematics through measuring, estimating, counting, sorting, pattern, shape and problem-solving.
Develop literacy and communication through storytelling, role play, mark-making, discussion, drama and opportunities to develop vocabulary.
Investigate science by observing plants, insects, weather, materials and seasonal change, while encouraging children to predict, test and draw conclusions.
Develop physical skills through climbing, balancing, running, jumping, throwing and negotiating different levels, surfaces and challenges.
Develop creativity through construction, art, music, imaginative play and the manipulation of natural and open-ended materials.
Build social and emotional skills by giving children opportunities to collaborate, negotiate, take manageable risks, make decisions and resolve problems together.
Outdoor learning also provides opportunities for children to apply classroom learning in real and meaningful contexts – helping them understand why knowledge matters and how it can be used.
Designing for what children need
A successful KS1 outdoor environment should offer more than traditional play equipment. It should provide a variety of experiences that reflect how children learn and develop.
Children need opportunities to:
• Run, climb, balance, pedal and be physically active
• Explore, experiment and investigate
• Build, construct, create and take things apart
• Imagine, invent and tell stories
• Dig, grow, nurture and connect with nature
• Talk, collaborate and develop friendships
• Find quieter spaces to reflect, relax and regulate
• Make choices and develop independence
• Take appropriate risks and overcome challenges
• Be trusted with responsibility
This balance is particularly important in KS1. Children need challenge and adventure alongside calm and reflection; independence alongside collaboration; freedom alongside purposeful learning.
An environment that supports teachers as well as children
The strongest outdoor learning environments are designed around the school’s curriculum, teaching approach and individual pupils – not simply around a collection of equipment.
An effective environment gives teachers opportunities to observe children’s interests, identify gaps in understanding and extend learning through carefully planned experiences. It allows adults to follow children’s ideas while introducing new vocabulary, questioning their thinking and encouraging them to take their learning further.
This creates an environment where children can become active participants in their own learning.
A child building a structure is developing mathematical and physical understanding. A child creating a story in a den is developing language and communication. A group working together to move water is exploring science, problem-solving and cooperation.
The learning is there – the environment simply gives children the space, resources and freedom to discover it.
The impact
A purposeful outdoor learning environment can help children leave KS1 as confident, curious and resilient learners, with strong foundations for the next stage of their education.
They develop the confidence to ask questions, the resilience to keep trying, the independence to make decisions and the social skills to learn alongside others.
For schools, investing in outdoor learning is therefore not simply about creating a more attractive playground. It is about creating an additional learning environment that supports the curriculum, enriches children’s experiences and contributes to their wider development.
When outdoor space is designed with learning in mind, children can be active, engaged and challenged while developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to succeed both in school and beyond.
To request your free Practical Guide for Developing Outdoor Learning in KS1 and beyond, contact Playgarden on 0114 2821285 or info@playgardens.co.uk