Outdoor Physical Development Opportunities

Physical development takes place across all areas of learning. Provision should be offered for open-ended play and learning opportunities. Practitioners need to consider the following:

• Resources need to offer challenges and opportunities to extend learning. For example, three wheeled trikes and scooters are used alongside bicycles.
• A choice of equipment to encourage skills such as sliding, rolling, climbing, develop building, pushing, pulling, pouring and digging.
• Resources should encourage co-operative play and learning.
• Space should be appropriately planned for resources so that sufficient space is available for effective use of each.
• Where possible, children should have some ownership of where to put resources and what to do with them.
• Outdoor resources should also develop fine motor skills as well as gross motor skills. For example, provide bean bags, small balls, large chalks for mark making and painting with water and brushes.
• Where possible, time should be given to pursue and extend children’s physical  play.
• The outdoor environment should allow children to develop an awareness of space, risks, themselves and others.

Creative Use of Ramps and Crates See-Saw Day Nursery, Boston	An Assortment of Available Physical Equipment YMCA Woodlands Daycare, Lincoln
Fun on a Hill Meynell Kindergarten, Laughton	A Tunnel Structure See-Saw Day Nursery, Boston

Images of Physical Development Opportunities within Lincolnshire Settings will be added to this page.