What stops school children from getting outdoors more?

Being outdoors at playtime … enjoying lessons outside … playing with friends on the way to and from school. These have been part of the fabric of the school day ever since schooling became compulsory.

When teachers take learning outdoors they report some powerful impacts. Children’s behaviour improves, whole classes are excited to learn, and individuals who feel inhibited by the curriculum often thrive in an outdoor environment.

When adults think back to their own happiest memories of childhood, they frequently recall the joy of playing outdoors.

However, even though outdoor learning is valued by teachers and parents alike, over the last 40 years the time that schools allow for outdoor play and learning has shrunk.

Find out why we think Outdoor Classroom Day is needed by taking our Quick Quiz…

1. What percentage of school children spend less time outdoors than prisoners?

a) 44%          b) 23%          c) 74%

2. How much shorter are school playtimes compared to 1995?

a) 35 minutes b) 15 minutes c) 30 minutes

3. What percentage of children say they prefer lessons outdoors to lessons indoors?

a) 24%          b)58%          c) 92%

4. How much extra progress do children make when they are given the opportunity to learn outdoors?

a) 3 weeks    b) 3 months    c) 3 years

5. What percentage of parents think play is important for learning?

a) 8%           b) 48%           c) 98%

6. What percentage of children aged 9 walk home from school without a grown up?

a) 20%          b) 85%          c) 55%

Answers

1 = c

A nationally representative sample of 2,000 parents of 5-12 year olds found 74% of children spent less than 60 minutes playing outside each day. UN guidelines for prisoners require “at least one hour of suitable exercise in the open air daily”. source: link

2 = a, b & c

Okay, trick question – “Between 1995 and 2006, breaktimes for the youngest children had been shortened by an average of 15 minutes per week, and for upper primary and secondary school students, had been reduced by 30 and 35 minutes per week respectively. Some secondary schools were reporting lunch breaks of 30 minutes or less and a fifth reported lunchtimes to be 40 minutes or less, barely enough time to queue for and to eat a meal, let alone have time for recreation (Blatchford & Baines, 2006).” source: link

3 = c

In the evaluation of the four year Natural Connections demonstration project, run across 125 schools, “the majority of children also thought they learned better and achieved more when learning outside. 92 per cent of pupils involved in the project said they enjoyed their lessons more when outdoors, with 90 per cent feeling happier and healthier as a result.” source: link

4 = b

“On average, pupils who had participated in adventure learning interventions appeared to make approximately three additional months’ progress.” source: link

 

5 = c

In a survey conducted by Edelman Berland for Dirt is Good in 2016 they found that 98% of parents agree that play is a way for children to learn life skills outside of the classroom and an absence of play will have a negative effect on skill development. source: mimeo (available on request)

6 = a

The Children’s Independent Mobility Report International comparison found that in England in 2010 20% of parents say their child comes home from school alone (without an adult). This compares to over 85% in Finland and Germany. source: link

 

If you think outdoor learning and play is important, sign up to Outdoor Classroom Day, a global campaign to celebrate and inspire learning and play outside the classroom.

Parents can sign up to support and we will send you information to help you promote the campaign locally and share on social media. Teachers can just sign up their class and head teachers can sign up the whole school!

And don’t forget to get outdoors yourself!!