Celebrating the lifework of friend and inspiration, Erin Kenny

As our inaugural international speaker at the launch of Early Childhood Outdoors in April 2018, Erin Kenny reached the hearts of many of those belonging to the ECO meshwork. A year has now passed since Erin finally lost her determined battle with cancer, and she is missed dearly and daily. But the legacy that grew …

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Vegetable patch to Ofsted registration in 4 months!

So, after 18 months of set backs, we sat in the office at Wigfield Farm, Lindsey and I, waiting to sign the contract for the land that would become our nursery. My hands were shaking by the time the contract arrived at ten past! As we walked back to the car our emotions changed from …

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Fresh Air, Freedom and Fun

By Felicity Thomas Norfolk is putting ‘Learning in the Outdoors’ at centre stage for their Early Years training and development programme. Their annual Early Years Conference this year consists of three days promoting outdoor learning, investigation and information. A ‘Training Garden’ has been developed at the Early Years Hub in Norwich to show how all learning can happen …

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Two new publications about the outdoors

By Community Playthings Over the summer, two new booklets on the importance of the outdoors in the early years have gone to press. Both are authored by Pete Moorhouse, the first with contributions from Jan White, Kathryn Solly and Jon Cree. The first booklet in the series is titled Learning outdoors: building a solid foundation …

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An Outdoor Nursery for Babies… Really?

by Carol Duffy, Early Childhood Ireland I stood transfixed in the centre of a field in Farley, near Salisbury, taking in a spectacle that took my breath away. Every part of my being knew I was witnessing the pure essence of nature pedagogy and childhood play provision. The overwhelming beauty of children at play in nature …

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What will they learn when all they do is play?

I recently took a well-deserved break in the South Hams, and as I’m sure many of you reading this will understand, my eyes and ears are always open to watching children at play. On this particular afternoon at the beach, two young brothers caught my attention. One (who I am guessing was aged about 2) …

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Is Being Barefoot in the Early Years Catching On?

There is a growing trend that should be celebrated – going barefoot. Little Barn Owls in Horsham have a barefoot project, Prince George was pictured joyfully paddling barefoot in a stream at the Chelsea Flower show and it is just as good for adults too, as this article in Scientific American shows. The flat rubber-surfaced conception of …

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Growing Wild Outdoor Nursery Blog, 23rd July 2019 – Never say never!

To anyone planning to set up an outdoor nursery, a few words of wisdom, ‘if at first you do not succeed …’ Growing Wild Outdoor Nursery is the realisation of the hopes, dreams, trials and tribulations of myself and fellow outdoor specialist, Lindsey Bielby. After many knock-backs, trying to set up an outdoor nursery independently, …

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The Incredible Journey – book review

Book Review – The Incredible Journey by Tom Burlison, illustrated by Sara Sanchez – review by Katharine Finkill The Incredible Journey is an exciting adventure book for young children, about the imaginings of two children, Ruby and Elliot, as they walk to school each morning. With simple, clear illustrations by Sara Sanchez this lovely book …

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