What is outdoor learning?
Weronika has been home educating for around 12 years. She explains that outdoor learning groups are really about getting kids outdoors and in touch with nature. Her group have studied a range of topics, from animals to geography, all in their natural surroundings.
Weronika believes learning can take place anywhere, and the idea you can only be learning indoors, or at a desk, is a misconception.
Video: Outdoor learning
Watch this video which depicts Weronika's outdoor learning group and explains the benefits that outdoor learning has had for her children.
Weronika: An outdoor learning group is really just about getting kids outdoors, getting them in touch with nature. Anything that we can do to encourage them to be outdoors is going to be beneficial to them and everybody else.
Some people have various roles, like someone likes to be in charge of the campfire, and then others like to bring the food for cooking on the fire. Other people get involved in planning and the learning activities.
We pick different nature-related topics to study. It could be about animals, it could be about geography, or the things in our natural surroundings. We do a bit of learning together at the beginning, and then we go off and do some arts and crafts, some activities.
They love building campfires and trying to get them started, and always toasting marshmallows as well, which is a big highlight for the kids.
I think there’s a lot to be said for getting outdoors. There are so many social and emotional benefits. It has really helped boost my kids’ confidence and also their learning abilities. When children are outdoors, they’re using all their senses, and this can really be beneficial to learning.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that it’s going to be expensive. We actually are formed as a cooperative, which means all adults take joint responsibility and support each other. It really doesn’t have to be expensive at all. You don’t even have to hire a site. You could just go to a local woodland, a local field, or a local park.
Learning can happen anytime and anywhere. It doesn’t have to be sitting at a desk. I think that’s one of the biggest misconceptions about education - that kids have to be sitting down at a desk to learn. If you can incorporate their learning into outdoor activities, it’s going to be very beneficial for them. It’s going to help them connect with nature, which is beneficial for the future of our planet as well.What I’ve learned about children is that they can actually be given a lot more freedom and a lot more responsibility than you think. A lot of traditional learning could actually be changed and moved outdoors.
So, a lot of the stuff that we do indoors, we just try to see how we can incorporate it to make it a bit more outdoors, a bit more physical and practical. I would encourage anyone to incorporate an outdoor learning group into their schedule.
Where can I read more about outdoor learning and home education?
If you're interested in learning more about outdoor learning and home education, be sure to check out our guides on five fun, free things to do outside the house, finding lessons in real life and how to home educate in the UK.
For general advice about parenting and getting outdoors, take a look at these articles from BBC Bitesize Parents' Toolkit: seven ways to get your kids outdoors, how to have a family seaside adventure and how physical activity can support children with special educational needs and disabilities at home.
Where can I find more support for home education and parenting?
The BBC Bitesize home education collection is designed to support you and your child’s learning at home with free resources for early years and foundation stage (EYFS), primary and secondary-age students.
Bitesize Parenting is the go-to place for the whole parenting community to find stories, expert advice and fun activities.
If your child has special educational needs and / or disabilities, be sure to check out the Parenting SEND collection. Bitesize also has a collection of Sensory Stories, an immersive video series that transports you on unique sensory adventures, for children with additional or complex needs.
For more information about home education, these BBC News articles cover the rise in families deciding to educate their children at home and, from 2021, the impact of Covid on home education.
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