Is outdoor play risky?

I recall like it was yesterday a moment outside at my new preschool. I'd only just started at the preschool after about six years working in community based early childhood centres. I had been appointed to a school in the Mt Druitt area and was very excited at the prospect of working in a preschool within my local area. My leaders at Fairfield Council had warned me not to go, as if it was some sort of defection. "Don't go to the Department, they'll change you. You'll lose your early childhood roots". I assured them that that would never happen to me. They wouldn't be able to change me, I'd change the department! Their laughter still rings in my ears. 

So off I went with great confidence that I had something to offer, that my early childhood roots would nurture me throughout my career. As it turns out, I was right, but they did have a point. It's been a hard journey and I've often met with resistance, doubt, conflict and have regularly found my philosophy undermined. Most times I managed to hold on to what I believed was best for small children based on my training and experience, as this story will testify. 

We had a small tree at the preschool. It wasn't the best climbing tree in the world but it was the only one we had and if the children wanted to climb it I helped them and supported them. One day the Deputy Principal was walking past and saw a child in the tree. He was shocked at what he saw was inappropriate behaviour by the child and sternly told him to get down immediately, that tree climbing was not permitted in the school. I went to the child's defense and explained that climbing the tree was encouraged in the preschool. "We climb trees here" I informed him. I recall his face very clearly as it transformed from complete confidence in his care of duty and supervisory right to complete shock and disbelief.  I saw his jaw drop and his eyes bulge as his face reddened. "Are you serious?" he asked. "Climbing trees is dangerous. Children aren't allowed to climb trees at this school". I explained the advantages of climbing trees. The gross and fine motor development, the opportunities for imaginative play, the chance for kids to connect to the natural environment. I didn't know then about the importance of allowing children to manage their own risks, but perhaps I had an instinct for that too. I certainly knew of the intrinsic joy you can get from tree climbing, as my childhood was full of it. I think this was probably the first time that he'd been confronted with such strange ideas in education. Keep in mind I'm going back over twenty years. The story has a happy ending, and the tree continued to be climbed and enjoyed for many years, with not one serious accident. There were the odd bumps and one child got their foot stuck and needed to be lifted from an upside down position, but bumps and bruises and falls can be advantageous too. It teaches children about managing risk. 

Since embarking on this journey I've often found myself defending managed and calculated risk. I just want to add a blog entry in defense of trees. Yes we need to keep children safe, but let's get it in  perspective. What are the benefits? 

The types of indoor activities that children are engaging in more and more are in actual fact more dangerous that tree climbing. The impacts of long hours on the couch, screen time and passive activity indoors is leading to many more impacts on our children's health. More people die from heart disease, diabetes and cancer than from falling out of trees, not to mention the impacts of childhood obesity. 

You might find the following article of interest: 

Ben Klasky 

President and CEO, IslandWood

 

Your Couch Is Far More Dangerous Than You Think

Posted: 04/17/2014 3:34 pm EDT Updated: 04/17/2014 3:59 pm

Why are we so afraid to let our kids play outside, when we know that such activity is vital for their physical and mental health? Our fears are so extreme that in a few cases, parents have been arrested for allowing their children to play outside unattended. My mother would have been sent to jail on an almost daily basis.

Until recently, it was common for kids to come home from school, grab a snack, and head outside to play in the neighborhood. This was true for me growing up in suburban Minneapolis, and also for my parents who grew up in L.A. and Detroit. Even in the nation's city of cities -- New York -- children once played in the streets after school. There were games like stickball, hopscotch, and a wild version of tag called Ringoleavio. Author Bill Bryson jests about parenting styles from his childhood: "I knew kids who were pushed out the door at 8 in the morning, and not allowed back until 5 unless they were on fire or actively bleeding."

I believe this dramatic change in parenting stems from fears of what I've dubbed the Three A's -- Animals, Abduction, and Accidents. But our fears greatly exaggerate the risk of playing outside, and have the unattended side effect of increasing the chances of our kids developing serious health threats. Consider the facts:

Animal Attacks: As their natural territories shrink, top predators are living closer to our urban centers (not far from my home, cougars have been found in Seattle city parks). But in all of North America, we can expect fewer than three people to die each year due to bears, cougars, coyotes, and wolves -- combined. Some researchers believe that our fear of these animals is innate, dating back to prehistoric times, when humans fell prey to bear-sized hyenas and saber-tooth cats. Today, however, the chances are miniscule of meeting our demise at the paws or teeth of a large carnivore.

Abduction: The U.S. experiences about 115 "stereotypical kidnappings" annually -- involving someone the child doesn't know, and in which the child is held at least overnight, transported a distance, and killed or ransomed. This is truly scary stuff. At the same time, such kidnappings are incredibly rare... only a little more common than getting struck by lightning.

Accidents: Each year, the U.S. can expect to see the following number of "outdoor" deaths:

5,100 car or bike accidents

3,500 swimming and boating drownings

1,000 plant, mushroom, and pesticide poisonings

fewer than 500 other accidents from bee stings, horseback riding, overheating, hunting, lightning, playground falls, skiing/snowboarding, snake bites, and trees falling on people.

Adding up all these statistics, we can predict slightly over 10,000 outdoor deaths this year. This is a small portion of the 2.5 million people who die annually in the U.S. -- over half of them from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes alone. If your chances of dying outside measured four blocks long, your chances of dying from these three illnesses would be longer than running a marathon! And active outdoor time has been repeatedly documented to reduce our chances of getting all three of these deadly diseases. We are exchanging a small amount of risk for more certain health threats caused by a sedentary lifestyle.

Our neighborhoods have additional threats to children's safety, including gang violence, poor air quality, and lack of access to green spaces. These are complex issues that can't be solved by simply encouraging parents to send their kids outside. We have tough work to do such as monitoring parks, passing legislation to clean the air, and demanding quality urban planning. However, if we don't begin to address some of our most basic fears of getting kids outside (the 3 A's), we are unlikely to successfully tackle these more difficult obstacles.

Much of our fears stem from 24/7 access to sensationalist headlines. We are barraged by stories of polar bear attacks, kidnappings, and playground deaths. When you combine the abundance of scary news flashes with the psychological phenomena known as the "recency effect" (we remember best what we saw most recently), it is no wonder that we are afraid to let our kids run around outside.

As a father, I want to protect my kids but my answer can't be keeping them indoors away from harm. Instead, I am focusing my energy on helping them be safer outside. I want my children to be crystal clear on what to do when encountering strangers, wildlife, and dangerous plants. I'm teaching them how to avoid street traffic, and how to properly wear helmets and life vests. By encouraging them to play safely outside, I'm protecting them from a host of much bigger risks -- and they're having a lot more fun too.

Follow Ben Klasky on Twitter: www.twitter.com/benklasky

MORE: Missing Persons Play Children Safety Nature Cougar Environment Animal Attacks Parenting Cougars Bears

The actual article can be found from the following link: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-klasky/the-couch-is-far-more-dan_b_5153066.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

Parents perspectives third installment. School concerns

I've been home for more than a week now. Elizabeth, a colleague at my office told me of a German word that has no translation in English and it intrigued me to hear it. We are used to the term 'home sick', which I may have felt a bit at the beginning of my trip. I certainly felt teary as I left my husband at the gate and went through to board the plane that first morning. The term that Elizabeth shared with me is 'fenweh'. I love this word. It means 

missing a place you have visited in your travels and the closest literal translation we have is 'distant sickness'. I think I have this. I am really missing the places I visited, the people I met and the experiences I was enjoying. I'm glad to be back home with my husband and my dog Danni, and Being back at work is great. I love my job and I'm very busy, consistently challenged and I enjoy the collaboration with colleagues, but I'm fenweh. I'm sad about all that I left behind. 

Anyway, that's not what this post is about. I want to make a last comment about the parents perspectives that were shared with me. Tonight I want to talk about the concerns that parents had about schooling. My experience in Australia when you ask about how children might settle into school after their prior to school experiences is often along the same theme. I hear regularly that children are not being prepared for the rigors and formalities of school, that the Early Years Learning Framework does not make children ready for school. I answer with the same response each time, that the EYLF is not about preparation for school, it's about fostering dispositions for learning, life long learning that will set children up for life. It's always frustrating for me to find myself bailed up in a school car park or in the corner of a staff room to be told that we are getting it wrong. The research and evidence around what makes up a quality early childhood learning environment doesn't seem to be valued within our school systems and is a constant source of professional angst for me. 

So when I asked parents about this on my travels I was pleasantly surprised to hear their responses. In reading the comments below you can see that what worries them is that school is expecting too much of their children at too early an age, and that what they are getting from the prior to school experience is a vital and treasured aspect of their early years, based on a value for children being small and free of formal structures of learning. 

"I saw D go from a confident child who was interested in his surroundings  and who was really keen to contribute to his surroundings to this little soul who's voice wasn't useful anymore. Nobody wanted to know what his opinion was. On a day to day level he had to do what he was told"

"They are at their most imaginative at four and by ten they need to conform"

"He just has a different take that they don't really get at school but maybe one day he'll be the person who will think up new ideas and bring humanity forward. If he doesn't I don't care but I just hope that we don't squash that out of him by undermining his confidence and taking the ability to think differently away from him."

"They don't want people to think differently they just want them to do the same as everyone else. He was forever cutting things out. Or coloring in or joining the dots. There was no free thinking. Schools have to get everyone on the same level"

"There are years ahead of him being in a regimented classroom. That they can still be babies means such a lot to me."

There was also an attitude that the quality of their children's early years experiences gave them fantastic foundations for future challenges and learning . The following comment demonstrates this feeling:

"As I write this, we've just found out that M has his school place for September, which fills me with mixed emotions. I will be so sad to see him leave the nursery yet I know he's had the best possible start by having been there. 

And then there was the excitement that parents were able to share their knowledge of early childhood to the school. At Boldon it is often the parents who question the school as to how their programs are adapted to the individual needs of their child. Parents were able to see the value of schools introducing play based pedagogies that utilize natural elements:

"My other son attends the reception class in the school at the moment and it seems the teachers there are starting to embrace the outdoor classroom idea- this week they are building a mud kitchen in the garden!"

This last comment leads me to the final aspect that seemed to be a common theme as I interviewed parents. That in connecting with nature and being given the freedom to play and explore, children were receiving quality early childhood education. The comments below demonstrate this:

"It's a much more natural way for children to learn and the longer they can keep the better, because as soon  as they get to school they beat it out of them"

"Teachers need to see that outdoors is a classroom too, not just a novelty. They would learn from the children when they can see that children can think more freely being outdoors"

"The determination! M's first day we had a shockingly cold winter. It was Never above minus 8. M was little, only two. We got her clothes and dropped her off at 9 and picked her up with her cheeks rosy and eyes sparkling and she just wasn't cold. They are hardy kids. They get half the sniffles than D was getting at school."

"When we had driving rain for a month I asked M if she was getting bored with it and she said 'eye mummy, it's just so muddy', but she went each day and was happy to go."

 

"It's going against the grain a bit, I rarely see them inside the class. That's good. The world Is a classroom, being in the open air, being outdoors"

"In going to the woods, my children really enjoyed the 'adventure' of getting ready, taking their own snack, experimenting with the space, the pond, the trees and everything"

I saw that parents had very real insight into the value that their children were getting from being outdoors in natural play environments. Is this perhaps because such programs attract parents with such beliefs and ideas? Or is it because the centres do a fantastic job in communicating the benefits to parents? Can such ideas take hold in Australia?

I guess I'll leave it at that for now. The photo below shows how happy Danni and I were to see each other on my return. She loves me a lot. 

Parent perspectives second installment: The way of teaching

I am pleased to say that by now, Friday, I'm completely recovered from the jet lag that turned my feet to cement and the insides of my head to straw. I've had two full nights of sleep where I haven't woken at two in the morning with the feeling that it was time for breakfast or lunch. I'm back! 

To continue my writings on parent perspectives, below are some of the comments that parents made regards the teaching practice and philosophy of the outdoor nurseries.

Auchlone 

"You can see how ideas just evolve. There will always be different things developing for the children and the ideas come from the children"

"It's not this pristine environment. The children can get dirty, muddy and it's ok"

"The things they do are just useful, like making soup. They're not making some ridiculous easter bonnet nonsense. It's useful stuff. It's not done for them, they all learn about this together. They're involved from the beginning of the process. Not just a stir. They are totally involved. And half the time the teachers don't know what they're doing either. I love that. They'll get there and they'll all work out together what they're going to do, they'll trial things. Like, let's see what happens when you dye eggs with beetroot and nettles. There's such excitement form discovering things for yourself."

Boldon

"The way they shape them as kids will impact them as they get older. If they grow up being told don't do that, don't do this, well it doesn't give them a chance to think about their decisions. Here they are given confidence. The  learning development phase up to five is the ideal learning time."

"When we first started here the staff were so supportive of him and me, constantly keeping me updated and asking what can we try now, what do you think, how do you think it's working. Giving me the odd phone call to reassure me that he was ok"

"There are great relationships. The staff are so approachable, we are on first name terms and when we arrived that first time they Introduced this as our home. Sue told us it was going to be the children's home. I was so excited. This is a second home to them and to me. All the children know who I am and while there's a professional balance, I'm noticed as a person and welcomed."

"We can come here as a family and watch them play. I'm quite emotional about it. I love it here. I'm excited to come through this door every morning"

Secret Garden

"It's important to me that she can just be. She's got opportunities to be in tune with nature like I did when I was little."

Cowgate:

"I feel really fortunate that he has such a magical place to go where he can learn so much and not even realise it."

These words are straight from the parents that I interviewed. They were from all different walks of life and had often had previous experience with regular nurseries. Their support for each centre is a strong indication of the impact that these nurseries have on families. I was greatly impressed with what parents knew about early learning and that this type of freedom, autonomy, connection to nature was in their children's best interests. I know that many of the nurseries work very closely with parents. In the case of Boldon, parents are invited to workshops to learn about the learning that their children will be engaged in. At Auchlone parents are often invited to social functions at the centre. 

It's got me thinking about the ways we invite parents to be involved in our preschools, and by involved I don't mean the usual attendance at meetings or volunteering in the garden. I mean real, authentic involvement. The comments above indicate to me that parents are in tune with the teaching philosophy of the nurseries I visited, even to the extent of seeing them as a second home. 

So my question for you today is this. What sort of involvement do your parents have in your preschool? Do they know about the philosophy enough to believe in it as you do? What can we be doing to engage parents in what we do? 

Parent perspectives first installment: a good start for life and learning

I was very interested in the perspectives of parents at each of the venues I visited. While in the UK I was often able to meet parents and was even able to ask some to a formal interview. The short duration at each centre in Denmark and the language differences made this a difficulty in Denmark, which was a shame. 

Whenever I got the opportunity I would ask parents why they had chosen this centre for their child's prior to school experience, what were their aspirations for their child and how they expected that this type of learning environment would foster this. I was also interested in their perspectives on schooling and how their children would go as they entered formal education. 

Their insights seemed to fall into four main categories: 

1. Giving their child a good start for life and learning

2. The way of teaching

3. Connecting to nature

4. Concerns regarding the school system

I'll be adding to this over the next few days, but let's start on how parents saw this type of early education as a good start for their child's life and learning. 

1. A GOOD START FOR LIFE AND LEARNING

This was by far the main source of insight that parents communicated to me. They spoke with passion about the types of dispositions they saw nurtured in their children through the learning environments and the style of teaching. 

Many comments referred to children being able to be themselves, to remain as children without the pressures of responsibility bearing down on them too early. Comments such as "What I want for him right now is just to be and he can just be here. I want him to just be a child and not rush into all the responsibility that you have when you start school" clearly indicates this parents desire for her child to enjoy that special time of being four. Another parent followed a similar statement with this "They are lucky to have no responsibilities.  It's such a gift to be able to be spontaneous and free and come up with wild ideas and then just do them" 

Children's confidence was found to be an important factor. Children who may have entered the nursery as shy, withdrawn or unsure were described as developing greatly in confidence and becoming more assured and assertive. The learning environment was seen to promote confidence, as shown in the following; "My child's confidence is ten fold. He's using language much more, his attention span has improved. He's building strong relationships with the staff and other kids. This environment allows him that and he's stronger and more confident for it. This will make him capable for the future". 

Opportunities for decision making were also commented on with great positivity. "He's able to choose and control his own play and experiences. He can come here and get dirty and make it what he wants to make it that day". Parents valued the autonomy that their children were given, seeing it as developing life skills. "They're independence is encouraged and they are given choices. When they are cooking the children are encouraged to say what they think, they're involved. Their opinions are valued. Little by little they've encouraged him to work out what he wants himself whereas before he'd need an adult to tell him". One parent commented on the way children are consulted at every point in the day. "It's not just about being free and just doing what you want, it's about knowing why and how it's going to effect everyone else. Helping them to shape their decision making process instead of a command" 

The natural outdoor environment provides much opportunity for children to be imaginative, curious and exploratory. For parents this was an important aspect. "If he's got a stick it might be a sword, it might be a magic wand, it could be a motor bike or a witches broom. That stick is such a rich object while he's here because he's constantly imagining. He's not being given a toy or an object and being told well this is how you play with it." Parents saw the value in children being imaginative and as an educator I know that it is vital for children to develop these skills as a means of understanding symbolism, as a precursor to formal literacy learning. 

I'll be writing about the other aspects from parent interviews over the next few days. This is enough for me for one sitting, and I imagine it's enough for you too. I'll leave you with this question. If you're an educator, do you know what your parents know about the sorts of dispositions that foster learning? What do you do to make parents aware of this? 

Stickland

10:15. 

We are getting ready to catch the bus. I arrive in the foyer where the children have been gathering what they need for the day and getting dressed in their warm clothing. Teresa, the forest school trained practitioner has also been very busy gathering up all that is required for a happy day in the woods. Snacks, water, spare clothing and the like. As they are waiting for the bus they are singing a song

One two three

Kieran's ready, Kieran's ready

Bag and boots, bag and boots

Waterproof and wellies, waterproof and wellies

Thank you Keiran, thank you Keiran. 

Sung to the tune of Ferra Jacka. 

There is discussion about Stickland as well as singing the song for each of twelve children. Other children have joined in this gathering and are welcomed, although it's not their day to go to the woods. 

10:30 and we are on the bus. There are bags of supplies and a box of food. Children and educators are chatting away, noticing things in the city as we drive towards the woods. Some sit quietly watching out the window. I feel quite sleepy. The city gives way to wider roads and suburbs, with houses rather than tall buildings. 

We arrive at a green space. It's alive with trees, moss, birds and even deer. There is a community area where different groups have structures to support  their 'programs'. There's a tipi that the scouts use, a yurt used by the nursery school, some timber shacks and a fire pit. We stop in the yurt for snack.

11:00

It's time for an adventure. Teresa waits for the children to finish their snack, to be ready to join the group. Some children wander off nearby, others stand with Teresa. It's not until all have decided to join the gathering that they move off together. The first stop is the public toilet. Again children busily investigate the environs nearby while others use the toilet. There's no pressure or stress to be quick or no expectation that they line up or stand waiting. When everyone is ready we move to the next spot, decided by the children. All agree to head to the river. Here we negotiate steep paths, exposed roots, rocks and low branches. We go down a steep incline to the water below. Here we come to a bridge, a bit of timber that has been placed there. It only goes part way across and the children tentatively make their way, carefully placing feet on the wobbly timber, then onto rocks and logs to get across. It doesn't take long for someone to get enough confidence to place their feet in the water, then even less time for them to be splashing and wading. Such fun and some do get wet, but that is their decision and there are cloths to change them into later. If they choose to be cold and wet while on the adventure, so be it. 

The adventure continues. If children choose to stop, we all do. 

I watch Teresa respond to some conflict. One of the children hurt another with a stick. She was immediately there, speaking calmly, comforting the child that had been hurt, drawing the child that did the damage near, gathering all the children together to share in this. She pointed out how much it hurt, suggested what could help, listened to the child crying and was ready to listen to the other. The situation ended in a hug and I observed that child being  very kind to his peer for the rest of the day. 

This child was behind the group and I stayed with her. There was a big gap between us and the rest but we weren't hurried or pressured. She had a great interest in the flowers that grew on the forest floor.

Here are some images of the woodland play space. I played hide and seek in amongst the greenery and watched that little girl roll a flower into a squishy ball. Note the fine motor as her fingers work the gooey mass. Note the language as she says "this is going to be all gooey and mushy now". 

Me in my happy place again.

12:00

Lunch in and around the yurt

12:30 

I watched a small boy laying in a pile of dirt for about an hour. During this trip I've seen a lot of this: children getting as close to the earth as possible, as if they can become part of it. They lie down and soak it up. The earth embraces them. This child spent over an hour making a mound and poking a hole in it, very carefully, then looking through it. It was a work of engineering and a work of art. 

"The silence, only broken very occasionally by a lone bird call, spoke of peace & tranquility & as he lay on the sand, felt the earth reaching up to embrace him, to hold him as its own & to help him exist at that moment in harmony with it and all around him. It's rare to feel this comfortable & this connected" (something a friend wrote to me recently which I think fits well here).

1:30

Some children ran full pelt across the field to a play area. Others stayed near the yurt. 

2:00

Children were called together to reflect on the day, sing a few songs and get ready to board the bus

2:30 

Back on the bus. 

3:00

At the centre the children needed to change and put things up to dry. They then played in their rooms or outside. 

4:00

I met with Lynn at last, who is the head of the centre. We had a fantastic long discussion about her PHD research in transition to school. Lynn has followed the experiences and progress of children from Cowgate to the early years of school. We talked about children's and parents ideas and attitudes towards school. Lynn found that many expected certain things of school and a lot of it has to do with fitting in and conforming, which I thought was really interesting. When parents were asked if they would like their child to be seen as an individual or someone who fitted in, most said fitting in. Again, I could have spent hours discussing this but it was time for me to go and for her to get on with her busy day. 

I came back to the apartment feeling sad and a little lost now that my study tour was finally at an end, and increasingly daunted by the mountain of clothing spilling out of my bag, spreading and cascading like an Edinburgh mist, the result of my not being able to find my camera charger a few days ago. 

So now I have the trip home to face and the job of putting all this into some sort of sense to talk to my colleagues about on Monday at our preschool conference. Who's idea was that? Oh yes, that would have been me. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I have really loved having you all along, knowing that there are people from all over the world interested in this concept and my discoveries. My email is posted on the blog in my profile so please feel free to contact me if you'd like to. 

I may have a few things to share as I make my way home, but if I don't, see ya!

Inspiring Scotland. An organization in defense of play.

While here in Edinburgh I was introduced to a fellow called David Hardie. As a semi retired lawyer David is now involved in a philanthropic organisation called 'Inspiring Scotland'. I met him here at a social occasion and once we got talking about his work I realized that I wanted to know more. He very kindly set up a meeting with himself and his colleague Eilidh Chalmers. 

As has become a common experience on this trip I was within the presence of an incredible inspiration, vision and passion. The people within this organisation are there to make a difference in the lives of kids and I'd like to tell you about it. I hope I can do justice to the work they are doing in this blog entry. Please refer to their website if this prompts further interest, it is well worth a look. 

www.inspiringscotland.org.uk

What initially sparked my interest in talking to David was the concept of getting children out to play. Inspiring Scotland funds a variety of worthwhile projects and initiatives that support children and young people, including a Go2Play fund that invests in play ventures. 

If you are reading this blog you probably have an understanding of the importance of play in children's lives. One thing that excited and impressed me was in talking to David and Eilidth, here were two executives who 'got' play. Their background is not education, not early childhood, but they understand the fundamental importance of play in children's lives and that it is not just for fun, it's vital. Because governments are recognizing the economic advantages of a healthy society and that play sets these foundations, organizations such as Inspiring Scotland exist. 

Go2Play is an investment in play ventures. This involves community charities in coming forward with innovative play ideas. David told me of one community that had a woodland within its environs, but it was used as a place for drinking and drugs. This space was reclaimed by children who went there regularly with 'Play Rangers', adults who facilitate free play, and it is now an attractive place that all can access within the community. This reclaiming of green spaces is happening in other places too, and play rangers is a growing phenomenon. Other ventures have included schools, where playgrounds are becoming 'grounds for learning', being developed into more natural spaces that provide for open ended free play. Playgrounds are changing, involving the voices of children, janitors, parents and school staff. All that become involved learn to articulate the benefits of play. The funding provided comes with clear expectations  and rigorous evaluation, so outcomes are monitored. An evaluation of each venture along with support, advice, training, capacity building and mentoring promotes its success and its future. Where does the money come from? I'm glad you asked. Some of it comes from philanthropists, individuals and organizations who want to invest their money into the future good of society. Because the money is managed so well and the outcomes are so effective, the government in Scotland also invests large sums of money. 

The whole exercise is not just grant giving. It comes with targets, plans and engaged support that works within the context of each community venture.  It was disappointing to hear that not many private donors are interested in funding play. It still has a perceived element of frivolity in it that is hard to compete with more regular charities and what is considered more dire needs such as drug and alcohol support or crime prevention strategies. I think our societies have a lot to learn about the value of play for children and beyond. The results from these ventures are collected as data to show the effectiveness of the programs, and there is much international research that shows how vital play is. The challenge for those of us that understand the play ethos is to defend and advocate for play, not only for our littlies but for older children as well. 

Why is play so hard to defend?

I wish to thank David and Eilidh for their time and interest in what I'm investigating here in the UK, and for giving me their very special take on it. I would dearly love to see this sort of thing happening in Australia and such things always start with an idea, a passion and a vision. It's another little seed planted in my head, and maybe yours? 

Interview with Jane, a teacher from Cowgate

I woke this morning to my alarm and am sad to say I've regained my habit of pressing (touching) the snooze button. This trip is nearly over and I am tired as well as relaxed enough to do that. I'm completely adjusted to this time zone now, sleeping when all my Aussie friends are up and about. I'm so comfortable in this way of working that I now see coming home is going to be huge adjustment. I feel that I could keep doing this for months. 

Today I'm going to Stickland, which is the outdoor venue in the woods for Cowgate children. They are able to go several times a week, parents sign them up for the experience, and children are also consulted.  It's too far to walk so we will be catching a mini bus. Presently the parents pay for this but the centre is looking at ways to increase the provision to five days a week and cost free to parents. 

8:00. 

My morning began with a meeting with Jane, teacher and outdoor educator

I'm waiting in the cafe where we will share breakfast. She's agreed to meet me to talk about her experiences and perspectives of early childhood education and outdoor learning. She has worked in a regular nursery so I'm keen to find out about the contrasts between that and Cowgate. 

And here she is

Jane told me about their recent experience of inspections. They are rated on thirteen aspects and it takes four days. It's pretty intense and the staff were put under the microscope and grilled. Jane and the other staff were put through extensive meetings and she said she felt like she was speaking a different language. There was no indication that the inspectors understood the way they do things at Cowgate and there was a lot of intense questioning. The focus on the recording of development was particularly problematic, as the staff here feel strongly that there is more to children's learning than developmental milestones and the assessment of these. 

"We were answering questions over and over and trying to do so in different ways but feeling like they didn't get it. We realise now that they were actually trying to understand us, to justify their assessment, but we didn't know that. We thought they were unconvinced and we were expecting a poor result."

They received an unprecedented assessment, the highest possible in all thirteen areas. I'm not surprised, but they were because the experience was so grueling. 

When I asked Jane about her understanding of the nursery system in the UK she said that most don't seem to give children choices as they do here in Cowgate and they are very focused on what the authorities are demanding in terms of assessment of children. Her face became grave as she told me this story.

"A friend who was doing some volunteering in a local nursery, she was reading a story to a child" 

I visualized the women and child together, enjoying a book, heads bent over the illustrations. A quiet and enjoyable moment for them both. 

"A teacher came along, clapping hands and moving children to the mat. My friend was told she needed to stop reading because the little child had to go to the mat to be read a story with all of the children. He had to go and listen in the group so that he could be ticked off the tracker sheet"

Jane shook her head and shrugged her shoulders and we both wondered at a system that not only sees such interruptions to real authentic learning, relationship building and enjoyment as ok, but better. Who is it better for? The child? the teachers? The system?

Jane feels that most nurseries function around adult choices and I think that that is possibly true of Australia, although I see that the Early Years Learning Framework has given us access to different ways and that change towards more child centered learning is becoming more embedded in our everyday practice. Many of our centres are providing for long uninterrupted times for play, free choice between indoor and outdoor play, roving snacks and choices around group participation. There is more creativity and open ended activities provided and I hardly ever see worksheets or stencils these day. I have to say that a month of not seeing this type of Creativity Reducing Adult Product (CRAP) has been extremely refreshing. 

I know that for many this is a challenge, not only to the way things have always been done, but to our belief and value systems. It's interesting that to Jane, to do it any other way seems archaic. There is so much evidence around the benefits to children to give them autonomy and agency, it's a mystery to her that many continue to 'live in the dark ages'. 

"Staff choose what gets laid out, they decide when it's time to toilet, to eat, to learn in a group and what the children get to play with. Activities are prescribed by adults and agency is limited."

"At Cowgate we give children autonomy. It is part of our ethos, an integral part of the way we operate on a daily basis. For instance, when we were developing our garden, the children were invited to do the planning. They designed it and we listened to them. They can see that we listen and that their ideas come to fruition"

Jane and I had lots more to say to each other. She was someone I could chat with all day. Again I was with a person who challenged my thinking and encouraged me to share my ideas. We were able to build each other up and encourage one another's ways of working. As with everyone I've met on this journey I knew I would have so much to learn from her if only given more time, but, Stickland was waiting. At 9:25 we made our way to the nursery, as Jane was needing to start her work day and I was off to the woods.