LTL Launches the Essential Guide to Getting Outside

Posted: 17 May 2009

New tool-kit designed to help early years settings improve their outdoor spaces

Learning through Landscapes has launched a new tool-kit guide to help early years settings improve their outdoor environments for play and learning. PlayOut is the first of its kind and is aimed at all those involved with improving the use, design and management of outdoor spaces.

The tool-kit includes two books- Preparing the Ground and Creating Changes, providing step-by-step advice on project management and how to plan improvements. Also included is a CD Rom of tools and resources, the Outdoors for Everyone DVD, case study cards and posters for settings.

The PlayOut tool-kit draws on 20 years of research and experience that LTL has gained having worked with over 18,000 schools and settings to improve their outdoor spaces. The tool-kit will support early years settings in developing their ethos and attitude towards the outdoors, helping to deliver a high quality curriculum to ensure the best possible outcomes for children.

Annie Davy, the Early Years Development Advisor at LTL, and contributor to PlayOut explains, “Early years practitioners understand the importance of the outdoors to young children’s learning and development.  However, planning and making the first steps to improve their outdoor spaces can feel overwhelming, on top of everything else staff are expected to do. PlayOut has been designed to provide practical, fun and manageable solutions to plan, use, and maintain improvements to any early years outdoor environment, making it a better place for stimulating and enjoyable play and learning.”

For those already planning capital improveme nts to their outdoor play, the toolkit will provide inspiration from others, helping settings to save time and money, with templates, resources and tips for avoiding costly mistakes. There are also links for curriculum planning and engaging children in the process.

The tool-kit is available now and can be purchased from the publications pages on the Learning through Landscapes website: www.ltl.org.uk for £60.00 or £40.00 for all LTL members.