Ideas for Outdoor Classroom Day

Outdoor Classroom Day is back! Running twice a year in May and November, Outdoor Classroom Day encourages schools and other educational settings to take learning outside of the traditional classroom and into nature. Whether you're a headteacher, primary-phase or secondary-phase teacher, forest school lead, or SENCO, there are so many ways to bring learning outdoors. At Cabins for Schools, we're passionate about creating outdoor learning spaces which help learners to thrive, year-round. Read on to discover our outdoor classroom day ideas and check out some inspirational outdoor classrooms!

Why does outdoor learning matter?

Outdoor learning offers so much more than just a change in scenery. It supports children and young people emotionally, socially and academically, helping them to thrive in all areas of school life and beyond. 

• Improves academic achievement 
  Hands-on learning and real-world experiences can really boost pupils' engagement.
  
  
• Enhances cognitive skills
  Spending time outside can strengthen pupils' focus, problem-solving abilities and memory. 
  
  
• Supports physical health
  Active outdoor learning sessions or outdoor play activities are great for getting children and young people moving. Promoting movement will improve general health and wellbeing as well as helping to improve physical skills like coordination.
  
  
• Encourages social development 
  Outdoor learning is effective for building confidence, communication and teamwork skills. 
  
  

Outdoor classroom day ideas

Here are some simple yet creative ways that your school can get involved with Outdoor Classroom Day...

1. Turn nature into your curriculum

Outdoor classroom Day is the perfect opportunity to creatively deliver your core curriculum outside and provide pupils with hands-on-learning experiences while connecting with nature. For a maths lesson, you could measure the circumference of trees and calculate the area of the playground or playing field. For English, you could ask pupils to describe their natural surroundings or write a poem about the wildlife. As for Science, there are so many investigations you could conduct, such as about habitats, soil testing, or the weather. Why not encourage your pupils to get creative and use natural materials on your school grounds like sticks and leaves to make some Outdoor Classroom Day Art!

2. Create a forest school taster session

If your school doesn't already offer forest learning, outdoor classroom day provides a great opportunity to let pupils have a go and introduce the forest school ethos at your setting. Forest school is all about child-led, experiential learning. You could experiment with all kinds of forest school activities and see how it might work more full time for your school! Think group problem solving activities using natural materials on your school grounds, den building, or even give pupils the chance to try out bushcraft. Activities like these are not only fun and engaging for the pupils but are also great for building a range of skills like teamwork and creativity. 

You can use this forest school taster session to see how your pupils respond. If it's a hit on outdoor classroom day, you might like to think about how you can offer forest learning more regularly. One key consideration is having a reliable base for your sessions which provides space and shelter. Many schools looking to give forest school and outdoor learning a permanent place in their curriculum choose our Scandinavian-inspired log cabins. Our cabins allow students and staff to enjoy forest learning activities all year round and throughout all weathers, and with circular seating they're ideal for demonstrations and group discussions!

3. Outdoor wellbeing session

If your wellbeing support or ELSA sessions are usually facilitated in the classroom, why not use Outdoor Classroom Day as the perfect opportunity to take it outdoors! As we all know, time outdoors reduces anxiety, improves mood, and boosts overall mental and physical wellbeing. Plus, getting outside can really benefit pupils who may struggle with the demands of indoor environments like the classroom, helping them to better engage with support. 

What sort of wellbeing sessions can you take outside? Think grounding mindfulness activities like encouraging students to notice 5 things they can see, 4 they can touch, 3 they can hear, 2 they can smell and 1 they can taste, if possible. Breathing exercises while sitting quietly can also be very calming, and are particularly effective when pupils can access fresh air and a change of scenery! You could also offer a nature walk if you have green school grounds, giving pupils the opportunity to switch off to pause, observe and appreciate the world around them. 

If your school has an outdoor classroom, cabin, or even an open-sided outdoor learning structure, you can set up a calming base with beanbags, journals, sensory tools, or quiet activities. This will provide a consistent, reassuring space for regular wellbeing check-ins or group support sessions outside of the hustle and bustle of the main school building or traditional classroom. Outdoor wellbeing sessions don’t need to be a one-off. The more regular and familiar they become, the more pupils will begin to seek out these spaces as safe, calming environments to support their mental health year-round. See Farlington School's Wellbeing Centre for more inspiration! 

4. Take SEND Support outside

Outdoor classroom day should be inclusive for all pupils.  Why not run your SEND support sessions or activities outdoors? Consider setting up a sensory scavenger hunt where pupils are encouraged to find different objects with different textures. Guide them to find something soft and something rough for tactile input, something that smells interesting, or something that makes a sound. You could even set up outdoor visual and auditory sensory stations with wind chimes, textured surfaces or water features, or take your usual indoor sensory trays outside onto the field. These outdoor classroom ideas will help your students to develop their sensory processing skills in a calm, fun, low-pressure way. 

Taking SEND support outdoors offers space, movement and large sensory variety. It also provides the opportunity to use natural resources to support fine and gross motor skills. Think balancing on logs, threading leaves onto string, or collecting and building with sticks! These kinds of outdoor activities are engaging, confidence-boosting, and fantastic for development while feeling like play for your pupils. 

5. Outdoor circle time

Prefer to keep things simple? Move your regular circle time (or class meeting time depending on the age group you're teaching) outdoors! Set up a circle using logs, tree stumps or mats and create a space for reflective conversations and calm, collaborative discussions. There are so many natural elements you may find on your school grounds like sticks or branches which you could use as a 'talking stick' which is passed around to denote which pupil's turn it is to speak if you wish to practice turn-taking and active listening skills too. You might find that taking circle time outdoors will really benefit certain pupils who typically struggle to engage or open up in the traditional classroom where the indoor environment can feel too formal or stressful. 

At Cabins for Schools, we believe that every school, nursery or other educational setting should have the option to take learning outside and encourage pupils to engage with the great outdoors. Not just on Outdoor Classroom Day, but all year round! That's why we design, manufacture and install outdoor classrooms and log cabins that are warm, weatherproof, and purpose-built for versatile outdoor learning and activities. Whether your school is looking to enhance its forest school provision or facilitate quality outdoor SEND support, our educational buildings provide the versatility and functionality to make it happen. 

How are other schools using outdoor classrooms?

An ‘outdoor classroom’ can look different for every school. Some choose an eco school room which most closely resembles the traditional classroom while providing an additional outdoor learning environment which feels separate from the main school building. Other schools opt for a Scandinavian-inspired log cabin to create a truly unique outdoor learning space to really allow their pupils to connect with nature. Or, perhaps for you, an outdoor classroom is an open-sided structure, more of an open-air shelter from the elements. Whatever your vision is for introducing an outdoor classroom at your educational setting, we can work with you to create the perfect outdoor learning space. Here are just a few examples of how schools we've worked with are using their outdoor classrooms throughout outdoor classroom day and beyond...

Billesley Primary School in Birmingham 

Billesley Primary have transformed their support provisions and strengthened their pupils' connection to nature by investing in an outdoor classroom. They have extended their biophilic environment from their main school building into their cabin, considering biophilic design principles by using plants, natural colours and large glass bifold doors to create the ultimate safe, calm space for their pupils. This helps the children to feel more at ease and open to communication, perfect those who struggle in the traditional classroom.

You can read the full case study here.

Broadway Primary School in Rossendale 

Broadway Primary chose one of our bespoke outdoor classrooms with a partition so they could create two rooms for various support sessions and activities. Their headteacher, Chris Bolton, tells us that:

'One room is utilised as a learning space while the other is set up with continuous provision resources to create a multi-sensory space full of opportunities! In here, children from across the school access additional learning and support throughout the day in small groups or one-to-one sessions, where they have a quieter, calmer environment.'

Their outdoor classroom is a fantastic example of how a well-designed outdoor building can meet a wide range of academic and pastoral requirements, while still offering all of the benefits of providing learning opportunities or support based outside. It's an opportunity for students and staff alike to get fresh air, natural lighting, and a welcome sense of taking a break from the more formal spaces within the main school building. 

Thinking about an outdoor classroom for your school?

Outdoor classroom day is the perfect opportunity to get pupils outside and enjoying the many benefits of learning in nature. With the right space, such as one of our bespoke outdoor classrooms, your school can take learning and support outdoors all year round! If you're feeling inspired, get in touch for a quick call or book a full planning session. We’ll help you explore the possibilities, from funding to feasibility, and support your educational setting in creating an outdoor learning environment where education thrives.