By carefully planning for outdoor play, adults can help ensure that outdoor experiences are challenging and safe for young children. Creative outdoor play should encourage healthy risk taking; offer graduated challenges; include variety in types of play; focus on child-centered and child-planned activities; and include the use of moveable…

Describes use of play crates, containers holding items that connect activities to a particular theme, in the outdoor classroom. Describes using crates to plan more creatively, enhance children's independence, and build spontaneous and individual interests. Provides direction in assembling and implementing play crates, and extending outdoor…

Discusses the importance of providing enough activity choices for young children during outdoor play. Defines simple, complex, and super play units. Describes the application of an equation for determining the number of available play spaces in a playground. (RJC)

Notes that, although staff should always watch for playground hazards, routine checks for playground hazards should be conducted monthly. Presents a 51-item safety checklist developed by the American National Red Cross that allows child care workers to assess the safety of elements of the play environment such as playground design and arrangement,…

Discusses how outdoor play can be as effective as indoor play in facilitating young children's development. Offers advice on selection of toys and materials; organization of play spaces; addition of movable toys and equipment; ways to stimulate imaginative outdoor play; and playground safety. (TJQ)

Describes how problems with water drainage on the playground, and the resulting puddles, provided a wealth of learning opportunities, children's fun, family-school communication, and challenges for one early childhood program. (KB)

Tells how hummingbirds can serve as a source of information and fun for children, including a rationale for attracting and teaching about hummingbirds and the outdoors. Explains that children need first-hand knowledge of nature and gives details on attracting hummingbirds and selecting safe plants for a hummingbird garden. (BGC)

Describes constructive play and its importance to young children. Offers suggestions for facilitating constructive play outdoors including: (1) providing access on the playground; (2) bringing the classroom outside; and (3) addressing the challenges of loose articles outside. Calls for reversing current trends that discourage outdoor constructive…

Warns about a potential epidemic of obesity among children in the United States and urges early childhood practitioners to provide outdoor play that increases children's physical activity, muscle strength, and coordination. Maintains that playgrounds should offer a variety of equipment that challenges children at different ability levels. Asserts…

Notes that the purchase of playground equipment is one of the most important decisions center directors make. Offers advice from a number of playground equipment manufacturers that suggests directors consider activities, safety, construction, installation, and warranty when purchasing equipment. Also suggests interviewing other directors about…

Examines the importance of the natural environment in Dewey's educational philosophy and the role outdoor play and activity have in children's education today. Cites reasons for the lack of a safe outdoor environment and offers suggestions for making improvements: schoolground improvement organizations, greenways movement, careful land…

Maintains that young children should be allowed to play with water and mud on the playground. Provides teachers with suggestions on ways to plan for such outdoor activities. (BB)

Examines role of play and experiential learning in early childhood education. Summarizes educational experiments and research projects on outdoor experiential play for enhancing adventuresomeness, self challenge, cognitive development, and socialization of young children. Suggests need for traditional and experiential educators to develop…

Highlights the importance of outdoor play as a space for active learning, discovery, and development of motor skills. Provides suggestions for creating an outdoor curriculum, including how to get started, important materials, and activity ideas. Encourages teachers and caregivers to devote plenty of time and energy to outdoor learning. (SD)

This special section contains articles on outdoor activities in early childhood programs which can be used as training materials for directors and teachers. Articles discuss the value of outdoor experiences; a playground evaluation instrument; attitudes about outdoor play; ideas forteachers to stimulate children's outdoor play; and strategies to…