Why Outdoor Learning is Key: The Benefits of Daily Outdoor Excursions At Nursery

At Eden Early Years, we believe that outdoor learning plays a crucial role in a child’s development. We’ve made it a core part of our values, ensuring that children experience the benefits of daily outdoor excursions. Whether rain or shine, our children are out exploring, discovering, and learning in the natural environment, helping to build not only their cognitive abilities but also their social, emotional, and physical well-being.

Just a few of our outdoor activities include:

• Collecting leaves from the forest and creating mark makings

• Nature scavenger hunt

• Bug and wildlife exploration

• Building dens and fairy

• Planting and growing in our allotment

• Visiting the Farms around Bristol or the Bristol Zoo Project

• Woodland walks

Socially, outdoor learning is a great way to build teamwork. Children often work together to complete tasks or play games, which helps develop communication and cooperation skills. And emotionally, time spent outdoors can be incredibly calming. It helps reduce stress and gives children a sense of freedom that helps them regulate their emotions.

Nature is full of excitement, creativity and imagination, we really encourage children to think outside of the box when we are out in the woodlands for example making fairy potions, using sticks to cast magical spells or building forts with leaves and sticks. Being outside and using their imagination boosts problem-solving, being able to work together as a team and exploring the new environment around them.

At Eden Early Years, we ensure meticulous planning to guarantee that every child, regardless of their nursery attendance frequency, has the opportunity to go on a trip outside of the nursery, provided they have obtained permission from a guardian.