Playtime is often a much overlooked period, where the cognitive and academic skills developed during lessons can be consolidated with social and physical learning. Encouraging your child to spend time outdoor play outdoors is not only an excellent way of ensuring that they grow up maintaining an active lifestyle, but also that they learn and develop new skills that aren’t unique to the classroom.

At Fen Park Primary School, part of the Active Learning Trust, they have recently invested in an OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) scheme. The aim of this programme is to improve the quality of learning and play outside, and develop skills such as problem solving, team work, negotiation and planning. By incorporating dedicated areas such as ‘mud kitchens’, alongside the use of tyres, rope swings and planks, they hope that children will become more in touch with their immediate environment by using objects around them in their play.

This is all about encouraging the children to take sensible risks, and to do so in a safe, supervised environment. Parents can easily replicate this activity in their back gardens or local parks. The cognitive, outdoor playsocial, emotional and physical skills developed by this kind of hands-on, active play are intrinsic in any child’s development, and in turn will allow for a better, more considered access to the wider academic curriculum. Getting your child to create an obstacle course in your garden, and then navigate it successfully, for example, will teach them important problem solving techniques whilst allowing them to have fun and be aware of the outdoors.

This kind of scheme has allowed Fen Park to create an integrated learning approach across the entire school day, where no hour is wasted. Encouraging your child to focus their attentions on other aspects of outdoor play (for example, doing something else if a toy they are interested in is already in use) will also help to cut down on behavioural issues in general. The benefits of outdoor play are clear, and it is also something very fun and engaging that will help you to further bond with your child throughout their early school years. Visit http://www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk/ for more information