Outdoor school: There is a place for every child in nature

The great outdoors accommodates all personality types from loud to quiet, says a Cork early years educator 

When Gillian Powell says we can all remember something we did as children in nature with our families, I’m immediately transported to a summer Sunday afternoon, wading in a shallow river with my mother. I was just 10 but the memory is vivid.

Lecturing in early education at Dundalk IT and Cork College of Commerce and an early years educator for 32 years, Powell cites research from US and Norwegian studies to explain why such a long-ago memory remains so clear.

“Memory is aided by all the senses – and all the senses and emotions are involved in a family nature memory, so we have them in technicolour,” she says.

Powell ran a Montessori school in Bandon, Co Cork, and recalls how the best part of every day was time spent outside. “I noticed the children were fully alive in nature. Every single facet – physical, emotional, mental – was engaged.”

Children, she says, have an innate connection with nature. “A butterfly landing on the window sill, a snail crossing the path – every child would run over to watch. There were parts of the path where water lodged. Every single day, almost every child would splash through those puddles and absolutely come alive.”

Early years educator and author Gillian Powell.

Seeing this, Powell switched to an outdoor curriculum, creating areas of interest outside for small world play and opportunities for mark-making with chalk. “It was play-based but with rich opportunities for learning.”

What she finds compelling are the myriad benefits for children of time spent in nature. “They run and move more, they’re breathing in fresh air, their emotional wellbeing improves – nature gives them solace. Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix, says ‘we can all mega-dose on moments of awe’.”

Powell says nature accommodates all personality types. “Children who need big movements can become leaders out there. Loud voices become normal. And the quieter ones can find a place to be quiet. In nature there’s a place for every child.”

In this time of climate crisis, she says it’s vital that children connect with nature. “If they learn to love the natural environment they’ll take care of it.”

'The books are about giving parents ideas for getting children outside.'

Powell’s Thrive series of books offers ideas for outdoor nature activities for children/families across the four seasons. “The books are about giving parents ideas for getting children outside and staying outside.”

Thrive - Autumn (€14.95) has over 60 pages of fun outdoor ideas for two to eight year olds. It includes creative, wellbeing, emotional, math and language-developing activities, along with fun Halloween activities.

Available in libraries, independent books shops, on Amazon and [url=

https://www.buythebook.ie/product/5165094/thrive-autumn-outdoor-nature-activities-for-children-and-families]Buy the Book.ie[/url].

Gillian Powell’s ‘practical footpath ideas’ for fun and developing movement

• The squiggly walk – walk on a squiggly chalk line.
• Take four hops then a jump as you walk to the shop or a friend’s house.
• Design a footpath dance. For example, a hop, skip and a jump and turn around.
• Copy bird walks on a walk - for example, waddle like a duck passing a pond.