9 Creating Safe Outdoor Environments
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
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Illustrate why outdoor play is essential to health and well-being.
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Describe elements of a safe outdoor play space.
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Recognize the importance of impact absorbing surfacing under equipment.
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Explain what use zones are.
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List age-appropriate outdoor play equipment for each age group.
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Identify hazards on outdoor play equipment
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Develop a safety checklist to monitor the safety of the outdoor space.
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Outline ways to protect children from the weather, the sun, insects, drowning, and poisoning.
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Discuss how to keep children safe as pedestrians, in motor vehicles, and while on field trips.
Licensing RegulationsWAC Regulations that relate to this chapter include:<PHONE_NUMBER> WATER HAZARD AND SWIMMING POOLS
110-300-0145 OUTDOOR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS
110-300-0146 EQUIPMENT AND SURFACES IN OUTDOOR EARLY LEARNING SPACE
110-300-0240 SAFE DRINKING WATER
110-300-0350 SUPERVISING CHILDREN DURING WATER ACTIVITIES
110-300-0480 TRANSPORTATION AND OFF-SITE ACTIVITY POLICY
110-300-0215 MEDICATION
110-300-0148 WEATHER CONDITIONS AND OUTDOOR HAZARDS
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Introduction
There are countless benefits to outdoor play for children. Research shows that children who play outside regularly have healthier body weight, improved vision, and immune function, reduced stress, better sleep, improved motor skills. There are substantial immediate and long-term health consequences for children who aren’t able to play outside or get enough physical activity such as increased obesity and chronic diseases. The research also shows us that kids who play outdoors have increased school readiness because outdoor play contributes to better social skills such as cooperation, increased attention span, improved school attendance, and improved brain development and cognition. Physical activity plays a critical role in supporting health and learning.
Being aware of the benefits of outdoor learning as they relate to overall health and school readiness is important so that teachers remember that the outdoor environment is an essential extension of the indoor environment. All the learning that takes place indoors can also take place outdoors. Anything programs do indoors can have an outdoor component.
Consider for just a moment how a program can increase the benefits of outdoor play while also minimizing injury. Reducing risk does not mean limiting play equipment or enforcing rules that restrict children’s ability to move and explore their environment. An ideal playground is one that encourages children to challenge themselves while also preventing little risk for injury. In fact, studies show that playgrounds that are high challenge but low risk are the very best at promoting the goals of outdoor learning. Children get more physical activity, develop better physical, cognitive, social skills and are happier and more resilient when their outdoor play environment is challenging and safe.37