At Stoke Gabriel Primary and Preschool we relish the opportunity to take our learning outside. We use outdoor space as an extension of our classrooms, to deepen learning and appreciate the benefits of working in nature. We develop the whole child through this approach and enhance our curriculum experiences. We are constantly developing our space, learning how the children can use this effectively and how the seasons change our outdoor learning experiences.
Our outdoor learning can be both child and adult-led and we foster curiosity and exploration. We encourage large movement, sensory play and expressive approaches to learning as well as calm experiences and more structured learning opportunities outside. We develop confidence, resilience and problem solving through positive outdoor experiences.
Our outdoor learning happens in and around our school and is inclusive of all learners for all areas of the curriculum.
June 2025
3rd June
The children in Ladybirds and Bumblebees were excited to explore our outdoor learning space that had been tidied by parent volunteers and members of the horticultural society. They loved playing in the dens that had been created and we are looking forward to seeing some of the other plans come to life over the coming months. The children also enjoyed playing with the chalk and water experimenting with colour mixing and using the creations to paint the bark on the trees.
10th June
The children are enjoying our outdoor learning space. They love playing with the mud kitchen, digging in the dens and exploring the paths in the trees. We have been learning about minibeasts over the last couple of weeks so this week we made our own caterpillars using sticks we found, coloured wool and pom poms.
17th June
This week for outdoor learning the children in Ladybirds and Bumblebees went on welly walk around our village. We looked for numbers as we walked through the church and orchard before arriving at the millpond. The children loved getting muddy along the shore and found lots of 'treasure' from crab shells to pebbles and sticks.
April 2025
1st April
This week we celebrated Easter by going on an Easter egg hunt around the outdoor learning area. We were excited to find a surprise inside the eggs! We practised our fine motor skills by using different coloured wool to thread and decorate eggs.
22nd April
Ladybirds and Bumblebees celebrated Earth Day by looking after our environment. They went on a litter pick around the village to make sure Stoke Gabriel is clean and tidy. Back at the field the children used their hands to make a painting of the world. They made nature crowns by collecting dandelions, daisies and other natural items to decorate their crowns.
29th April
Today we picked lots of dandelions and used them as paint brushes to paint pictures. The children have also been loving hunting for bugs and found lots of worms, woodlice and even a centipede under the logs. We really enjoyed blowing bubbles and chasing them as they blew across the field.
"I liked finding all those woodlice"
"We used some cereal and pipe cleaners to make bird feeders"
"I found a ginormous, fat centipede"
"I like finding bugs"
"We found sticks, made a den and sat in it"
