Race to create eco-friendly outdoor spaces

As the weather cools around us, the nights start drawing in, and the leaves start to shed, it can be all-too easy to get swept up in the autumnal season and abandon the outdoors for the warmth of indoors. But, with there being so much scope for adventurous, child-led play and learning in the outdoors, making the most of your spaces is essential – no matter the weather.

Sadly, though, many outdoor areas in settings are filled with plastic due to its ubiquity, all-weather capabilities and ease of acquiring; that, and the eco-friendly alternatives can seem wildly expensive in comparison, especially during what is a financially tight period for many settings. But sustainability should be a core value for any setting, as it’s about safeguarding the future of the planet by cultivating empathetic stewardship.

It encourages child-led play and learning via independent decision-making and problem solving, while also giving them responsibility.

It provides opportunities for physical activity, which can then be enhanced even further by inserting extra steps into tasks – for example, to fill a water tray, the children need to collect water in a bucket and transport it there.

It can reflect the changeability of the natural world and lead to discussions.

Design outdoor spaces with nature in mind – what sort of wildlife is particular to certain parts of the space? How can it be designed herbs, such as basil and rosemary, herbs with soft leaves such as sage or woody stems such as thyme, vibrant flowers such as pansies and tulips – to cultivate an early appreciation of the beauty in nature’s diversity.

Having a composting area for food waste is an excellent way of showing the cyclical journey of our food and nature as a whole; it also opens up chance to observe and talk about the process of composting, while providing a nutrient boost for growing soil.

Rainwater conduit – Utilise old milk bottles (or other scrap plastic containers) to create rainwater conduits that can be used to water the things you grow. Having a variety of containers of different shapes and sizes allows for inclusivity, can help build muscle strength and develop gross motor skills, and creates opportunities for maths questions and discussions about water volume and capacity.

Secondhand and scrap – Avoid buying brand new wherever possible, not only to save money, but to ensure that items are fully enjoyed for the entirety of their lifecycles. Car boot sales, charity shops, and item-exchange fairs are excellent ways of being more cyclical and saving things from the tip! to withstand different weather? How can you ensure you’re complementing the natural world rather than distracting from or overwhelming it?

Ensure that you use environmentally-friendly materials (which may include only naturally-occurring ones over manmade) or, if this isn’t possible, aim for items that are recycled, repurposed or reused to have as minimal impact on nature.

Here are some tips and tricks for building a truly immersive, eco-friendly outdoor space for little ones!

Leave it to nature – Create small patches that are wild and overgrown, and make them accessible for children to run in and out of independently. You can even plant patches of wildflower seeds to encourage more wild growth and explosions of colour – the autumn months are the perfect time to sow seeds that will bloom in spring! More information on wild patches and wildflower meadows can be found here: bit.ly/3TEV1pY.

Small food-growing areas – Engage children in simple planting activities by starting off with fast-growing foods – lettuce, radish, spinach, courgette, carrots and peas are all speedy growers! Foods such as strawberries are handy for more concrete-based spaces, because they’re vertical growers that can be grown in containers.

To enhance exploration in the outdoors, think about creating immersive experiences that offer a rich sensory palette – fragrant

‘Transformable’ spaces – Playing into seasonal shifts, transformable areas are all about thinking how weather and seasons affect nature and wildlife. Whether that’s allowing wild growth to create mazes or covered walkways that alter with time, or adding decorations to tree branches that will be revealed in the autumn and winter months (and can then reflect the different positions of the sun during the spring and summer months), there are many ways to harness the concept and power of change in open spaces.

Flow space – Think carefully about the journey children will take through the space. For example, if the growing area is located at the far end of your space, add more than one rainwater conduit along the way so children can collect water as they travel there. Locate any sensory areas out of the way of ‘main traffic’ and instead near to quieter, reflection-style areas with seating dotted about for children to sit and relax.