Young Children's Perspectives of Outdoor Learning Spaces: What Matters?

Abstract

OUTDOOR SPACES ARE A FEATURE of most Australian early learning settings and have potential for many learning opportunities. This article reports on a study that investigated three- and four-year-old children's perspectives of the outdoor environment in their early childhood education setting. The research was conducted using multi-method approaches including child-led tours and photography, photographic elicitation and conversations. Findings emphasise the importance for children of being able to pretend, move, observe and be social. These findings have implications for designers of both curriculum and outdoor spaces for young children.