16 Curriculum

Suggested Reading

Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds. (2018). Disruptive, transformative, relentless global leaders in natural playgrounds. [website]. Retrieved from https://www.naturalplaygrounds.ca/

Bienenstock is a local (Dundas) company that celebrates divergent thinking and risk taking. Their team includes designers, landscape architects, trainers, educators and construction experts who engage in a comprehensive, international and multidisciplinary approach. Training and workshops in support of risky outdoor curriculum development are offered.

Bilton, H., & Waters, J. (2016). Why take young children outside? A critical consideration of the professed aims for outdoor learning in the early years by teachers from England and Wales. Social Sciences, 6(1), 1-16. doi:10.3390/socsci6010001

In this journal article, the findings suggest that more Welsh teachers plan outdoor environments explicitly for curriculum related learning compared to England teachers.

Canadian Parks Council. (2016). The nature playbook: Take action to connect a new generation of Canadians with nature. Retrieved from http://www.parks-parcs.ca/pdf/playbook/nature-playbook.pdf ISBN: 978-0-660-05644-9(paper)/ 978-0-660-05643-2 (PDF)

A free publication, which outlines how nature affects us and identifies seven strategies for increasing engagement with nature. The seven strategies offer solutions to a worldwide problem of disconnection from Nature. They came from groundbreaking research and programs presented at the 2014 IUCN World Parks Congress held in Australia.

Casey, T. & Robertson, J. (n.d.). Loose parts play. Inspiring Scotland, Soctland’s Play Strategy, and Scottish Government. Retrieved from https://www.inspiringscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Loose-Parts-Play-web.pdf

A 72 page .PDF Toolkit to support adults in the play, early years, and education sectors feel more comfortable and confident in introducing loose parts play within their settings. The Toolkit aims to raise awareness of the value of loose parts to children’s play, to provide practical guidance, and to advocate the use of loose parts as an approach to developing play opportunities.

Children and Nature.org. (2018). Research library. [website] https://www.childrenandnature.org/research-library/

The database includes summaries of per-reviewed journal articles that focus on children and nature. Search options can be organized by population, outcomes, themes, research methods, and barriers.

Creative STAR Learning Ltd. (2017 – 2018). Creative Star website: I’m a teacher, get me outside here! Retrieved from https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/

This website is curated by Juliet Robertson, an advocate of the power of outdoor play in education. Teacher resources include a blog, resources, links to training courses, and support, with a focus on literacy and math. This is a Scotland/UK resource; the author speaks regularly in Canada.

go2play (2017, May). Play champions toolkit: A guide for developing young play champions in primary schools. Retrieved from https://www.inspiringscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Play-Champions-Toolkit-2016-web.pdf

This 46-page .PDF Toolkit is designed to focus on engaging school-age children in more activity that is playful within their school day. It includes a program that can be used to support children to become leaders of play. The benefits of play and physical activity are also included.

Houser, N. E., Roach, L., Stone, M. R., Turner, J., & Kirk, S. (2016). Let the children play: Scoping review on the implementation and use of loose parts for promoting physical ctivity Participation. AIMS Public health, 3(4), 781-799. doi:10.3934/publichealth.2016.4.781

This scoping review provides an overview of the current literature on loose parts and the relationship to types of play and thinking. The different definitions of loose parts is captured, along with a list of types of loose parts. Types of play can depending on the types of loose parts provided and the nature of the environment; for example, an enclosed space can lead to increased dramatic play. Loose parts are hypothesized to promote divergent, creating thinking; however, there is limited evidence to support this hypothesis at this time.

Jay, J., & Knaus, M. (2018). Embedding play-based learning into junior primary (year 1 and 2) curriculum in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(1), 112-126. doi:10.14221/ajte.2018v43n1.7

Through a case study design, authors investigate the influence of policy decisions on pedagogical practices of educators. The research identified the necessary supports required for implementing play in the early years of school as well as the challenges experienced by the teachers in implementing Australia’s National Quality Standard (NQS).

Quibell, T., Charlton, J., & Law, J. (2017). Wilderness schooling: A controlled trial of the impact of an outdoor education programme on attainment outcomes in primary school pupils. British Educational Research Journal, 43(3), 572-587. doi:10.1002/berj.3273

This empirical research study shows how a curriculum based outdoor learning program for primary school children improves children’s learning. The study compares attainment data in English reading, English writing and maths to conclude that children in the Wilderness Schooling group significantly improved their attainment in all three subjects.

SBS Dateline (2016, Feb 23). Kids gone wild: Denmark’s forest kindergartens. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkiij9dJfcw

This video gives insight into the Forest Kindergartens in Denmark. The skill development children enjoy as a result of their participation and the social/cultural perspectives that enable these programs are discussed. The video runs for 12 minutes.

Sumpter, L. & Hedefalk, M. (2015). Preschool children’s collective mathematical reasoning during free outdoor play. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 39, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/jmathb.2015.03.006

This paper illustrates how young children between the ages of one to five use mathematical properties in collective reasoning during free outdoor play. It demonstrates how children use variations of mathematical products and procedures, to challenge, support, and drive their reasoning forward. Children use concrete materials to illustrate and strengthen their arguments, and aid in to reaching conclusions. Children also use abstract social constructs, such as jokes, as part of their mathematical reasoning.

Woolley, H. & Lowe, A. (2013). Exploring the relationship between design approach and play value of outdoor play spaces. Landscape Research. 38(1), 53–74, DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2011.640432

A report on the research that explores the relationship between approaches to the design of outdoor play spaces and the play value of these spaces. It tests the hypothesis that natural playgrounds provide greater opportunities for play. Results indicate that playgrounds with movable loose parts and fewer pieces of fixed play equipment increase play value.