Curriculum Corner
THE POWER OF OUTDOOR PLAY: LEARNING THROUGH EXPLORATION
At St Helena’s, outdoor play is an essential part of our students’ learning and development. In alignment with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), we recognise that children learn best through active exploration, play, and meaningful engagement with their environment. Outdoor play provides rich opportunities for children to develop a strong sense of wellbeing, confidence, and connection with others.
Our Early childhood team from PK to Year 2 have been intentionally designing and planning a wide range of outdoor learning experiences that evolve regularly in response to student interests and current classroom learning. These carefully structured yet flexible opportunities, often referred to as “invitations to play”, encourage curiosity, creativity, and independent thinking while supporting specific learning goals.
Through outdoor play, students are developing a wide range of important skills:
Gross motor skills as they run, climb, balance, and explore physical challenges
Fine motor skills through activities such as painting, building, threading, and creating
Social skills as they collaborate, negotiate, problem-solve, and build friendships
Language and vocabulary as they describe their play, share ideas, and engage in conversations
Emotional development as they build confidence, resilience, and independence
Imagination as they create structures, engage in dramatic play experiences, and problem solve
These experiences also support students in forming meaningful connections between themselves, their peers, their learning, and the world around them. When children engage in purposeful play, they make sense of their learning in authentic and memorable ways.
We encourage families to continue supporting this valuable learning at home, particularly during the upcoming holidays. Simple, meaningful experiences can have a powerful impact, such as:
Visiting local parks or nature spaces
Engaging in creative play like painting, drawing, or building
Organising playdates to foster social connections
Exploring the outdoors through walks, scavenger hunts, or gardening
These everyday experiences provide children with opportunities to reinforce their learning in a relaxed and enjoyable way.
