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Course Description: When children play outdoors in nature, it’s been shown to positively impact their overall development and well-being. Indoor play cannot accurately replicate outdoor play as a person has to actually experience and connect with the outside world. For instance, watching a video about snow does not provide the same experience as standing outside catching a snowflake on one’s tongue during a snowfall. 

Outdoor Play and Nature focuses on outdoor play opportunities in the natural world and constructed play spaces, including how to consistently incorporate them into early learning and childcare centres/homes. Students reflect on their own outdoor play experiences to gain insight into their personal feelings and see how their personal feelings can affect their own practices. 

Within this course, the selection of outdoor environments is examined to ensure equitable access and opportunities are present for all children (without the need for adult intervention). Also, Canadian children experience four seasons, so students learn to create programming for outdoor play in all seasons. Other topics include environmental responsibility, Indigenous values and the natural world, healthy risk-taking and curiosity, and documentation of outdoor experiences.