This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/23/muddy-kids-learn-best-outdoor-learning-children-mainstream
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| It’s official: muddy kids learn best | It’s official: muddy kids learn best |
| (3 months later) | |
| Contact author | |
| Mon 23 Oct 2017 16.56 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 15.01 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| For two weeks now, the media has descended on the nursery – Dandelion Education – attended by two of my children, as it was judged the country’s best nursery at the 2017 Nursery World awards. | For two weeks now, the media has descended on the nursery – Dandelion Education – attended by two of my children, as it was judged the country’s best nursery at the 2017 Nursery World awards. |
| This might have remained an obscure industry prize were it not for the fact that, unusually, Dandelion is an outdoor nursery and forest school. My four-year-old, Ted, spends his Dandelion days playing outdoors, in all weathers, in a place where plastic toys are banned and children build their own with real tools. | This might have remained an obscure industry prize were it not for the fact that, unusually, Dandelion is an outdoor nursery and forest school. My four-year-old, Ted, spends his Dandelion days playing outdoors, in all weathers, in a place where plastic toys are banned and children build their own with real tools. |
| We noticed such a beneficial impact on Ted that we asked our local primary school to allow another of our children, Esme, to flexi-school and join Dandelion two days a week. The school’s enlightened head agreed. | We noticed such a beneficial impact on Ted that we asked our local primary school to allow another of our children, Esme, to flexi-school and join Dandelion two days a week. The school’s enlightened head agreed. |
| Outdoor education no longer seems radical to me, despite the tabloid pictures of 'tots' wielding electric drills | Outdoor education no longer seems radical to me, despite the tabloid pictures of 'tots' wielding electric drills |
| For the past six months, I’ve volunteered a day a week at Dandelion too. This began as book research but it has brought less expected, more important benefits. Young children are the funniest, most enthusiastic colleagues imaginable. Watching Dandelion’s founders, Emma Harwood and Hayley Room, facilitate child-led learning and defuse conflict has been a massive educational experience for me as a parent. And I’ve been surprised how I beam at each day’s end: outdoor learning is good for adult health too. | For the past six months, I’ve volunteered a day a week at Dandelion too. This began as book research but it has brought less expected, more important benefits. Young children are the funniest, most enthusiastic colleagues imaginable. Watching Dandelion’s founders, Emma Harwood and Hayley Room, facilitate child-led learning and defuse conflict has been a massive educational experience for me as a parent. And I’ve been surprised how I beam at each day’s end: outdoor learning is good for adult health too. |
| As a consequence, outdoor education no longer seems radical to me, despite the dramatic impact of Dandelion’s fire circle on TV news or tabloid pictures of slightly demonic-looking “tots” wielding electric drills. | As a consequence, outdoor education no longer seems radical to me, despite the dramatic impact of Dandelion’s fire circle on TV news or tabloid pictures of slightly demonic-looking “tots” wielding electric drills. |
| I’ve been impressed with how the tabloids have covered Dandelion’s success in good faith, but mostly I’ve glowed with pride at the recognition for Harwood and Room, who set up Dandelion against all odds and continue to labour all hours to make it work. Reading online comments by Sun and Daily Mail readers is transformative too. I assumed that forest schooling was a middle-class lefty passion, but rightwingers love getting children outdoors again and banishing “elf and safety”. | I’ve been impressed with how the tabloids have covered Dandelion’s success in good faith, but mostly I’ve glowed with pride at the recognition for Harwood and Room, who set up Dandelion against all odds and continue to labour all hours to make it work. Reading online comments by Sun and Daily Mail readers is transformative too. I assumed that forest schooling was a middle-class lefty passion, but rightwingers love getting children outdoors again and banishing “elf and safety”. |
| Is the penny dropping? All five shortlisted nurseries at the awards were outdoor operations. Policymakers across the political spectrum should take note: making outdoor learning part of conventional early years education could be as popular as free school dinners. | Is the penny dropping? All five shortlisted nurseries at the awards were outdoor operations. Policymakers across the political spectrum should take note: making outdoor learning part of conventional early years education could be as popular as free school dinners. |
| Six legs good | Six legs good |
| One shocking aspect of “insectageddon” – the disappearance of 75% of flying insects on German nature reserves over 27 years – was that the data was collected by amateur naturalists. The science of understanding catastrophic insect decline urgently requires the scale of funding that’s being devoted to climate change. | One shocking aspect of “insectageddon” – the disappearance of 75% of flying insects on German nature reserves over 27 years – was that the data was collected by amateur naturalists. The science of understanding catastrophic insect decline urgently requires the scale of funding that’s being devoted to climate change. |
| Insects must also be made more visible: and amateurs, rather than professional conservation groups, lead the way here too. Visitors to Warwick Gardens, a tiny south London park, may have noticed Penny Metal lurking in the bushes with her camera. In 2011, Penny decided to photograph every insect in her local park. She didn’t expect to find much, but she’s snapped 555 different species, from pear slugs to the footballer (a hoverfly), discovering a species new to Britain and other endangered creatures. | Insects must also be made more visible: and amateurs, rather than professional conservation groups, lead the way here too. Visitors to Warwick Gardens, a tiny south London park, may have noticed Penny Metal lurking in the bushes with her camera. In 2011, Penny decided to photograph every insect in her local park. She didn’t expect to find much, but she’s snapped 555 different species, from pear slugs to the footballer (a hoverfly), discovering a species new to Britain and other endangered creatures. |
| She’s self-published a stunning book, Insectinside, of her photographs. It’s beautiful and an inspiration – to take notice, and to take care. | She’s self-published a stunning book, Insectinside, of her photographs. It’s beautiful and an inspiration – to take notice, and to take care. |
| Trust issues | Trust issues |
| The National Trust could be championing insects. Instead it’s defending trail hunting as “part of the fabric of the countryside” – defeating an AGM revolt to ban it on trust land. I hope wildlife lovers now properly scrutinise trail hunts – which some view as cover for illegal fox-killing – on National Trust land, and hold the charity to account for this retrograde step. | The National Trust could be championing insects. Instead it’s defending trail hunting as “part of the fabric of the countryside” – defeating an AGM revolt to ban it on trust land. I hope wildlife lovers now properly scrutinise trail hunts – which some view as cover for illegal fox-killing – on National Trust land, and hold the charity to account for this retrograde step. |
| • Patrick Barkham is a Guardian columnist | • Patrick Barkham is a Guardian columnist |
| Early years education | |
| Notebook | |
| Schools | |
| Children | |
| comment | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |