TEY-10.2

MATT ROBINSON IS SCOTLAND DIRECTOR FOR LEARNING THROUGH LANDSCAPES Matt Robinson explains how to use all the space you have to the maximum... T he outdoor space in nursery and the local greenspaces we access have never been so important as they are now. The pandemic and ensuing lockdown was most challenging for our families who lack a personal garden space. I personally can only imagine how the four walls pressed in for some of our children and their parents or guardians. As we start the journey into what the new normal looks like this autumn, with the myriad of unsolved challenges and unknown factors, we know that to use all the space we have is a key starting point. Making use of your outdoors in a Covid world By using outdoor and indoor spacing to the maximum, we enable our physical distancing and bubble groups. The unique nature of outdoors encourages children’s imagination, curiosity, risk taking and physical movement in a way that indoors we struggle to match. By adding in the changing days and seasons which nature offers, outdoors becomes a deeply important place for our children to be. Yet we know through lockdown, play parks were closed and movement to access greenspace restricted. So many young children have not had the time outdoors which they benefit from. 74 Teachearlyyears.com