Practicalities

Practical issues

The regulations still apply when we care for and educate children outdoors. All the provisions of the National Education and Care Regulations must be adhered to.

Outdoor learning programs do not involve disregard for regulations or safety. But the success of so many quality outdoor programs shows that it is possible to meet all the provisions of the regulations while still providing outdoor learning programs, including ones run offsite.

For educators, the practical issues involved in running a kindergarten session in an outdoor location can require a lot of thought and preparation. We have to ensure that we are able to care for and educate the children appropriately and meet the expectations of parents, managements and regulatory authorities. The locations, tools and systems of work that we adopt are important in making our work with children possible.

In this section, we share with you some of the solutions that other educators have found to these practical issues. We hope this will help you find ways to deal with these issues in your own setting.

We are working on material for this site (in our spare time) so please come back soon and see how we are going – or better still, write to us with your own experiences and questions.

Choosing a site

In planning an outdoor learning program to be held offsite*, choosing the site is crucial. Educators who are involved with us here in the ECO Learning Network operate at a variety of different kinds of sites away from their kindergarten or LDC campus.

Westgarth Bush Kinder operates at a bushland site in the Darebin Parklands. Balnarring Preschool has a program at the beach. Coburg Children's Centre walks children down quiet streets and along the Merri Trail to a site on the banks of the Merri Creek. Kallista Kindergarten runs its Nature Kindergarten program in the George Tindale Memorial Gardens which is a carefully tended public garden with a mix of tall gums and showy introduced plants. Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne host sessions.

Educators in these programs have discussed some considerations in choosing a site:

  • how far away is the site and how is it accessed
  • how will children get there
  • what kinds of boundaries exist or are needed
  • what equipment might have to be brought in
  • what hazards does the area present and can they be adequately controlled
  • who owns the site and what permissions are needed
  • what impact will regular use have on the site itself

For educators who are used to working in buildings and grounds that have been licensed as children's services, the idea of taking children away from the safe base of the centre can be a huge challenge. However, innovative and resourceful educators have shown that it is possible to meet regulatory requirements and provide high quality learning experiences in a range of settings away from home base.

*Not all outdoor learning programs are held offsite.

Who manages this land?

Responses to children being in community spaces will vary. Wherever possible develop a strong trusting relationship with the land owners. It will be important to explain the value of what you are planning to do and seek their support in developing protocols for when the children are using the space. It may be useful to contact other services to hear how they manage land owners.

Parks Victoria are developing some documents to guide users of their spaces.

The Rules

Early childhood education is a highly regulated field. Educators need to know that their programs fit with the curriculum frameworks and standards we work by.

The Australian regulatory framework is highly supportive of children learning outdoors and in nature. It is useful to know where supporting clauses and relevant regulations can be found.

In this section, we provide quotes from official documents which are relevant to planning and implementing outdoor learning programs.

A key thing you need to know is that the regulations are less restrictive and more supportive than many people assume. If you are wondering whether you are allowed to .....
the answer is probably yes.

Belonging, Being, Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework

The EYLF makes strong statements in support of children learning outdoors.

Learning Environments

Outdoor learning spaces are a feature of Australian learning environments. They offer a vast array of possibilities
not available indoors. Play spaces in natural environments include plants, trees, edible gardens, sand, rocks, mud, water and other
elements from nature. These spaces invite open-ended interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and connection with nature. They foster an appreciation of the natural environment, develop environmental awareness and provide a platform for ongoing environmental education.

Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework

The VEYLDF Communication Outcome asks that

'Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
Children express ideas and make meaning using a wide range of media'

Outdoor learning offers rich opportunities to work on communication skills. These varied environments awaken children's curiosity and spark many conversations. They promote episodes of sustained shared thinking.

Outdoor learning widens the range of media children are offered for expressing ideas and making meaning.

Children's Services Regulations 2012

The Children's Services Regulations 2012 apply to outdoor learning, including offsite programs.

The same ratios apply.

The same rules apply.

In Victoria, ratios are 1 - 4 for children under 3, and 1 - 11 (from 2016) for preschool children over 3.

Getting there

Some programs ask families to drop children directly at the outdoor site.

Some programs include a walk to the outdoor site as part of the program.
Some outdoor learning programs are on land in or adjacent to the service.

How you get to the site will depend on the location you choose, the age of the children, the route and distance, how much time you have available. There are various aspects to work through in planning the program. You need a solution suited to your own situation.

Toileting and hygiene

Toileting and hygiene options will be affected by the site you choose. Programs have come up with a range of approaches.

• In some sites public toilets can be accessed. Always inspect toilet area before children enter, and supervise children appropriately.

• Some programs encourage 'bush toileting'. Think about how to manage privacy and respect.

• Some programs bring a makeshift portable toilet, such as a toilet seat on a bucket. This may be set up in a special toilet tent. Consider how to empty it.

Liquid soap can be useful for washing hands.

Tools

Outdoor programs vary in their attitude to tools and equipment.

Some believe in 'nude' programs, using only what they find on site, while others may choose to take a variety of tools or equipment with them.

Have a conversation with the team as to what tools if any will be taken. This may depend on the philosophy of why you have taken the children out the gate.
Possible tools could be:

• camera (ensure you are not always behind the camera!)
• magnifying glasses
• binoculars
• reference books
• clear recycled buckets
• charts for identification
• rope
• drawing materials
• flints (if you can have a fire)

Ratios

• The ratios that apply in your service still apply when you go offsite.

• Parent support can be included once the minimum ratios are met, as with excursions.

How many staff are to be involved?

Regulations for qualified staff are the same as if at the centre. There are no ratio requirements however consideration is to be given to the number of staff required to keep the children safe. Some services may have policies on ratios when children leave the centre – a conversation may be required in these circumstances as to how many staff you will have access to. Once the decision on ratios is made, communicate this with the families so they understand the level of supervision and are relaxed about it.

Will parents and family be asked to assist?

Parents can be included in ratios once the staffing requirements have been met. Consideration should be given as to how many parents are required to ensure children’s safety but also to ensure the children can be independent, take risks and develop their resilience.

Risk/ Benefit Management For Outdoor Learning

One of the important benefits of outdoor learning is that it provides children with an appropriate opportunity to learn how to manage risk. In Australia most children are taught to swim safely at quite an early age so that they can grow up with the benefit of the joy of water play in our frequent hot weather. Water play entails real risk and each year children (and adults) drown, but outlawing water play in Australia is unlikely to be successful. By managing the risk involved in water play Australian society has made swimming and water sports a feature of a healthy and fun lifestyle while significantly reducing the risk associated with it. Many other aspects of outdoor play also entail risk but similarly the benefits of good risk management allow for a rich and rewarding childhood/life.

Kindergartens and Children's Centres seldom provide the richness of environment and opportunities for learning, skill development and socializing that the great outdoors in Australia routinely provides. With this great opportunity comes some risk which good guiding adults will need to address.

Facilitators and teachers will sensibly be required to do some form of risk assessment and preparation prior to taking children into the outdoors. Authorities responsible for governing early childhood groups will usually set some sort of pre-program risk assessment. It is a good idea to also involve the parents of the children in this exercise if possible and indeed the children themselves. Hopefully this models good practice that parents can follow and indeed the children themselves. Indeed it is likely to make them more aware of the risks and help them manage themselves whilst in your care and later in life. Great preparation for a rich and rewarding life.

Assessing risk is an interesting exercise. We assume we are rational decision makers but this is often not the case. In Australia there is a perception that our snakes and spiders are much more dangerous than they really are. The last death from spider bite was recorded in 1981 (a Sydney funnel web and the last Redback Spider death was in 1959). Snakes do kill Australians but at the average rate of 1.4 a year and with increasing knowledge and correct treatment this figure should continue to decline. However that is not to suggest that snakes and to a lesser extent spiders are not dangerous. They can be and proper care should be taken if this is a danger in the areas and at the time of year where you will be taking children.

We like to think that Australia is a wild place and a number of television shows have gained a lot of popularity around the world promoting the danger of the denizens of the Australian bush. This is a perception now commonly held but not backed by statistics. We do not have bears, large cats or even big bad tempered herbivores (unless you stray into the bull paddock at a farm). In Northern Australia we do have crocodiles and due care is advised in their territory. Sunburn, bushfires and dehydration are more pertinent risks. They too can be managed.

Whilst working on the risk assessment it is also helpful to consider the benefits. Appropriate levels of risk are what all teachers should be exposing their children to but exposure to risk is presumably not the primary aim of going into the outdoors. More usually you will be seeking to provide a challenging learning experience and the risk is a side benefit.

Good risk management will entail appropriate:

· First aid kits and other equipment, and people that are trained in first aid and the use of the required equipment.
· Adults aware of the risks, how to manage those risks and at the appropriate ratio of adults to children.
· Children that are aware of the risks and how they should respond to those risks. You also need to know the children you are taking and how they are likely to respond to the situations you might encounter.
· Appropriate clothing for the situations that you are going into- eg gumboots and coats for wet and muddy conditions.
· Good liasing with managers of the areas you are going into so that you have current knowledge of events and opportunities.
· Procedures for extreme weather events, a cancellation policy.

Many land management authorities will have risk/ benefit documents available to help guide your Risk/ Benefit Management.

No such thing as bad weather ...

Outdoor learning enthusiasts are fond of saying 'there is no such thing as bad weather - only bad clothing'.

The right clothing can go a long way to making sure that programs can go ahead. However, there will be some weather conditions that make it advisable to to cancel sessions, and it is important to have policy to cover these.

In Australia, cold and wet weather can usually be adequately overcome with good clothing - it is hot or windy weather that is more likely to create problems. High winds can bring danger in treed environments. Extreme heat can make conditions too uncomfortable in some locations, or make bring a fire risk that means the program should be canceled for the day.

Work out what the trigger points and sources of information will be for canceling a session, and how families will be informed. The Bureau of Meteorology website is an important resource. There may be other stakeholders involved in these decisions, such as park rangers, depending who manages the land you are using.

Suitable clothing is crucial to outdoor learning.

Suitable clothing is crucial to outdoor learning. The right clothing can make sure everyone stays warm and dry - and that can make all the difference for happy play and happy parents.

Good coats are important. Footwear should be sturdy, and if possible waterproof. Consider waterproof pants for children. Consider whether clothing will be provided by the service or families. Take spare clothes.