Nurture in Nature

Beautiful Beginnings is set within Scarisbrick Park, an extensive private estate the wide expanse of woodland and parkland, delightful gardens, a lake and stream combine to give an air of spacious grandeur and peace.

As well as the outstanding natural beauty of the setting Scarisbrick Park is alive with wildlife, the children will often be seen out in the grounds learning though play and experience.  As the seasons change the children see and experience the changes to the environment as well as new life including seeing new born lambs and many other animals in their natural habitat.

When your child joins Beautiful Beginnings remember to bring the “wellies”.

Why do we place emphasis on ‘The Great Outdoors’

Freedom:

Outdoor play gives a different type of Freedom compared to indoor activities.  For example children can hope, skip, jump, run, balance etc which are all great activities to promote physical well being.

As adults we tend not to organise and place as many demands on children when they are outside, giving them more freedom to explore.

Space:

Outdoors tends not to be as cluttered or visually stimulated with bright primary colours.

Not only does it offer floor space, there is endless space upwards towards the sky enabling them to watch the cloud formation, wish upon a star, feel the rain on their faces.

Outdoors provides natural nooks and crannies for hiding and finding a peaceful spot i.e. bushes, dens etc.

Natural:

Not only are the materials andresources available natural, so are contours, sounds etc.

 

Outdoors provides activities using natural materials including sorting twigs, pebbles, rocks which help brains develop.

Also children can learn through their senses using natural coverings i.e. moss, leaves.

Sensory:

Outdoors provides a Multi-sensory environment even without adult interaction or enhancement.  As soon as children step outside their senses are enlivened by noise, birds, leaves rustling etc, cold or hot on their faces from the sun/wind, water from rain/snow.

Real:

Children are able to get away from plastic, man made resources that are usually all the same in texture and shade of colour, i.e. a yellow brick will be the same as a yellow puzzle piece or piece of mobilo.  However outdoors offers a full range of yellows including greeny yellow, browny yellow, bright yellow etc.

Relationships:

Children are more likely to use adults as play partners rather than adults who tell them what to do.  Adults are more flexible and willing to allow restrictions to ease.

Children are more likely to develop relationships with each other without the restrictions of walls and doors.  Also children who show more boisterous behaviour, boys in particular, will flourish when outside as well as limit the amount of annoyance to other children.

Challenge:

When outdoors children will naturally take risks that they may or cannot take when indoors, they will gravitate to activities that suit their age and stage of development.  For example a child who has an innate need to climb is able to do his when outdoors as long as age appropriate activities are available.

Perspectives:

Children are able to see the world around them through different perspectives, for example a tree blowing in the wind, a tree with sunshine beams through it’s branches or a tree with leaves falling from it.

Dynamic:

The outdoor environment is flexible and children have control over it.  We as adults are much happier to allow children to move and change furniture, toys, resources etc within the outdoors compared to indoors.  We tend to adopt a ‘that’s where that lives’ philosophy when indoors, however play flows and alters in accordance to the children using it.

Conditions are also different each day relating to weather, time of year and time of day.