The kindergarden: Warm praise for nursery where children stay outside all day, in all weathers
Thursday 27 November 2008
The Secret Garden Nursery in Fife has no premises except a tent set up in the woods - though that is used only in the very worst weather. The Secret Garden recently won prestigious prizes for outstanding practice
Cathy Bache, the nursery's founder, began piloting the concept of outdoor play and learning for children aged two to five in September 2004 and has expanded to a full-time nursery with 14 children. The drama and primary teacher believed that providing a physically and intellectually stimulating environment that was safe and secure for children to play in would boost their development.
The idea, which originated in Norway, is that fresh air and movement stimulate young children and their learning. Youngsters spend their entire days at the nursery playing with imaginary dinosaurs and space aliens in Letham Woods, even if it is raining. But they can retire to the stove-heated tent if the weather gets too much.
NORWAY could provide answers to some of Scotland's biggest educational challenges, a report claimed last year.
The research compared the two nations to discover why Norwegian children stay in education longer and are less likely to fall into poverty. Earlier this year, a Unicef report placed the UK at the bottom of a table of the world's 21 richest countries for child wellbeing - Norway came seventh.
Dr Bronwen Cohen, the chief executive of Children in Scotland, said she believed Norway's focus on outdoor play could help to enthuse Scottish children and make Scotland a healthier nation. Children at about a third of Norway's nurseries spend entire days outdoors.
(The Scotsman)