Outdoor Play Environment

Support active play by providing appropriate equipment, space, and encouragement.

The best practices (per GO NAPSACC) and the related resources in this section focus on having appropriate outdoor environments for physical activity. Children will be able to play more safely, have fewer conflicts, move more, and try a wider variety of activities. Equipment that suitably meets different needs is also important to support and accommodate all children.

Best Practices

The resources in this category are the same for the following ten GO NAPSACC best practice goals:

  • "The program does different types of activities with children outdoors, including free play, structured
    learning opportunities, seasonal outdoor activities, walking trips, and/or outdoor field trips."
  • "In the outdoor play space, structures or trees provide enough shade to accommodate all children at the
    same time."
  • "The program’s open area for outdoor games, activities, and events is large enough for all children, who
    regularly use the space together, to run around safely."
  • "The outdoor play space for preschool children includes 8 play areas or more."
  • "There is a garden that produces enough fruits and/or vegetables to provide children meals or snacks
    during 1 or more seasons."
  • "There is a paved path for wheeled toys that is 5 feet wide or wider, has curves and loops, and connects
    the building with different play areas."
  • "Most or all of the following portable play equipment is available and in good condition for children to use
    outdoors: Jumping toys , Push-pull toys , Ride-on toys, Twirling toys , Throwing, catching, and striking
    toys, Balance toys, Crawling or tumbling equipment, and Other “loose parts”."
  • "A large variety of portable play equipment is available and in good condition for children to use outdoors."
  • "Portable play equipment is always available to children during outdoor active playtime."
  • "There is always at least one item of portable play equipment available for each child during outdoor
    active playtime    ."

Resources

Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies

Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.

Source: Connecticut State Department of Education

Go Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAPSACC) Bilingual Self-Assessments

Summary: Free for providers. Contacting a consultant and completing the online version of the appropriate assessment opens a suite of planning, learning, professional development, and implementation tools to understand further what the best practices are and how to make them happen in your child care.

Source: Go Nutritional and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC)

Kids Gardening for Educators

Summary: Resources on how to plan, start, and maintain a garden at early care and education sites.

Source: KidsGardening.org

Learning Environments

Summary: Guidance on how to design indoor and outdoor spaces to support different kinds of learning.

Source: Head Start

Learning Outdoors in the Early Years: A Resource Book

Summary: Comprehensive booklet that walks providers through how to set up different outdoor play and learning areas.

Source: Foundation Stage

Physical Activity Toolkit for Preschool-Aged Children

Summary: A guide for early care and education centers to integrate and increase children’s physical activity throughout the day. Resources include planning and scheduling tools, sample activities, skill cards, do-it-yourself equipment tips, policy templates, and no-cost education resources.

Source: California Department of Public Health