TEY_10_1_2020

TAKE A GROUP OF THREE- TO FIVE- year-olds outdoors, give them the space to play, explore and let off steam, and all the while they’ll be learning. For early years children, outdoors learning presents a fresh perspective on the world, free from the constraints of the classroom walls. For most settings, these forays into the wider world take the form of visits to farms, forests or parks, or perhaps to a venue specially selected with the younger child in mind – but the early years team at Latchmere School wanted to explore the impact of taking young children on a trip to a less typical destination. Changing places If it’s pitched at the right level, an educational visit to a historic site or cultural location can be just as stimulating for younger children as it is for pupils further up the school. The key is to tailor the trip to the needs and ability of the child, as we found on a recent trip to Hampton Court Palace. While older children might learn about the history, politics and architecture of a location, early years pupils respond well to an interactive story, where they are part of the action. Combining a story with activities keeps the children involved and brings the narrative to life. In our case, a storyteller dressed as an explorer took the children on a treasure hunt, encouraging them to search for statues of magical beasts in the palace gardens. Building rhyme, rhythm and song into a story makes the tale all the more memorable, as children join in with the chorus and put words to the music. New skills One of the benefits of learning outdoors is the chance for children to understand and use physical descriptions of their surroundings, such as “behind the tree” or “over the wall”, ELAINE BOOTH IS FOUNDATION STAGE LEADER AT LATCHMERE SCHOOL. which boosts their communication and language skills. An interesting environment presents the opportunity to try out new language too, and our children learnt exciting words such as ‘topiary’ and ‘turret’. Once the children are involved in an activity, they are often happy to explore unfamiliar concepts. Discussions about characters in a story, or unusual features of a landscape can inspire young children and nurture their creativity. On our trip, we talked about how each of the statues we saw represented the attributes of King Henry, which linked back to the children’s personal, social and emotional learning. A lasting impact Outdoors learning doesn’t have to stay Visiting new environments can stimulate young children’s creativity, says Elaine Booth… outdoors. The new stories, songs and vocabulary a child has learnt can be reinforced back in the educational setting. For early years children, this can be done through activities such as role play and through exploring different media and materials. When the children are fully engaged, there are opportunities to develop the themes of a story by asking everyone to tell their own stories or act out the characters. The visual element of a trip to an unfamiliar location can be particularly evocative, and children can recreate this by drawing some of the scenes they remember from the day. Take it home Early years trips are only possible with a band of willing volunteers, and many parents are keen to come along and join their child’s adventure. Involving parents in a trip like this can help to demonstrate the positive impact of learning in a completely different setting. Parents can see what their child is experiencing, and watch the children engage with their surroundings alongside their classmates. Parents will then be able to support the learning at home, and when their child tells another story about a royal palace, parents will know what inspired that creativity. Introducing young children to new surroundings helps to develop their understanding of the world around them, and the benefits of an educational visit are felt long after the trip itself. Not only do such visits support the early years curriculum, they are an enjoyable way for young children to see stories brought to life. For more information about learning opportunities with Historic Royal Palaces, visit hrp.org.uk/ hampton-court-palace/schools Teachwire.net/early-years 47 Storytelling beyond the classroom