This new report, written to support Australia’s Outdoor Classroom Day this 1st November, sets out not only a snapshot report on how much more playtime Australian children are getting compared to everyone else, but also an overview of why outdoor learning and play is so very important…
GETTING OUTDOORS MEANS
Better learning, across the board
Benefits that last beyond early education
Outdoor play gets kids more active…
…and boosts mental health
Getting outdoors connects us to the places we live and the environments we will want to protect
Read the report for all the examples from literature from across Australia and around the world. This is why almost all (97% or more) Australian teachers think playing outdoors develops key skills for life, and that it makes children happier.
After getting involved in Outdoor Classroom Day we are now seeing more playtime and more outdoor learning in the schools involved:
22% of primary schools worldwide, and 18% in Australia, have increased playtime since taking part in Outdoor Classroom Day
33% of Australian schools (44% around the world) have increased the frequency of outdoor learning
Where schools champion outdoor learning and play, that gives parents and the wider community more impetus to really make getting outdoors part of every child’s every day. This report seeks to give schools – and parents and the wider establishment – the evidence for why outdoor learning and play should be part of every day. This isn’t a side-topic. It’s not a ‘nice to have’ or a prize after a long week. Getting outdoors to learn and to play is simply an essential part of every day for every child everywhere.
Keywords
play, learning, schools, children, outdoors
Reference
This report was written by Outdoor People, for Project Dirt, the Global lead organisation for Outdoor Classroom Day, to be used by Nature Play and their partners who lead Outdoor Classroom Day in Australia.