PLAY SPACES

At Out & About we encourage children to understand and work with the natural world. Our play spaces have been designed to foster children’s interaction with and enjoyment of outdoor play, investigation, and discovery. Outdoor play in nature offers children a number of benefits, including:

Development of physical skills and stamina
Practicing social skills, working with others, and collaboration on a range of projects and games
Space to run, be free of concerns, and to make noise and laugh like mad if they wish, or be quiet and thoughtful
How to think about and manage risks and challenges
A sense of awe and wonder at nature's marvels. Children will connect with nature, and understand how the natural world works, our interdependence on it, and our responsibility to nurture it
A place to simply run, play and have great fun with friends in a relaxing and safe space.

Our play spaces encourage children to cooperate with friends creating imaginative games, or explore independently.

Many life skills are practiced during fun outdoor play as children engage with friends and manage the challenges offered in the space. Children are able to practice being resilient, overcome difficulties, take on new challenges and develop new ideas during group or solo play. These are important life skills.

Out and About Care and Education Playspaces2

Out and About Care and Education Playspaces3

O & A’s distinctive playgrounds encourage creative thinking and simple enjoyment of nature and the great outdoors. Timber, stone, other natural elements and planting offer children a natural environment in which to play.

We include a combination of irregular layouts, patterns and textures in natural materials, quiet nooks, open spaces and different levels to provide children with interest, challenge and to prompt many play possibilities and ideas for imaginative play.

Children will also develop and care for our flower, vegetable and herb gardens over time – using any produce (hopefully) in our kitchens when they participate in our cooking master classes.

We have many areas of interest and fun activity for children to play in our garden. They are encouraged to explore, try new skills, revisit old ones when needed and to engage with nature and their peers in a relaxing and supportive environment.