We’re going on a Bear Hunt!

Enriching Your Outdoor Playscapes

August 2023; By Sara Silva- Coach, Child Care Connections

Many of us are spending as much time as possible outside, enjoying the beautiful (if brief) Montana Summer. It’s the perfect time to reflect on our outside play spaces and how we might make them even more enriching for children’s play experiences. Do you remember that perennial favorite children’s book: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt? Well, it offers the perfect formula for enriching outdoor playscapes. Let’s follow along:

• Long, wavy grass: leave pare of your yard unmown and add some clumps of ornamental grass. These tall grasses offer a wealth of sensor experiences, a natural habitat for wildlife, and little spaces where children can get away from the larger group and spend some quiet time in small world play, reading a story book, or just gazing up at the clouds. 
• Deep, cold river: water play can turn a ho-hum day into a spectacular day. Water can be added to a playscape by adding a slowly running hose into the sandpit area, offering water dispensers that children can operate themselves, or even placing small Rubbermaid tubs with a few inches of water on a picnic table. Plastic water bottles can have slits cut into their lids to dispense water in streams when squeezed, and who doesn’t like painting with water? Of course, maybe the toys have gotten a bit messy from all the children’s play and buckets of sudsy water are just the ticket to get everyone involved in cleaning the outdoor playscape. (Remember that active supervision is a must- no matter if we are inside or outside!)
• Thick, oozy mud: so many of us have memories of making mudpies and other delectable treats using water, dirt, and a little bit of neighboring flora. While sandpits are wonderful, a bit of dirt to dig, explore, and turn into a squishy, muddy mess can be just the ticket. Mabe a group of children will want to see how far they can dig down while another discovers worms!
• Big, dark forest:trees offer endless possibilities and are a wonderful addition to the outdoor playscape. As they grow, they offer valuable shade and if we choose wisely, they may also offer us endless loos parts and maybe even something delicious to eat. Trees also invite wildlife into the playscape which offers endless sensory and exploration opportunities for young children. Sitting in the shade of a mature tree can help children to regulate their emotions and as children grow, they can explore what their bodies can do as they hang, swing, and climb through the tree branches. 
• Swirly, whirly snowstorm: There is an old adage that there is no bad weather, just bad clothing choices. While I don’t wholeheartedly agree and do think that we need to be thoughtful of safety in frigid Montana winters and blistering Montana summer afternoons, there is also a point to ensure that children have opportunities to explore the outdoors in many different kinds of weather. Think of the sensory possibilities! Throw on a coat and pair of galoshes to run outside in the rain. What wonder! What fun! There may be puddles to hop in, mud to squish, and maybe even a rainbow. Quick, you don’t want to miss the robin’s song right before (and after) a rainstorm!
• Narrow, gloomy cave: no playscape is complete without spaces to crawl through, over, and under. Little spaces are just right for one child to curl up and rest for a moment while spaces for two or three offer endless play possibilites. This child may be practicing their motor skills, while another is imagining  they’re an adventure to the moon- or on a road trip to Costco. 
• And home again, safe and sound: no playscapes is complete without opportunities to play house. Here children can try out different roles and explore all the wonderful and weird things they see adults do. Children can also find healing for adverse experiences as they engage in little world and pretend play. Don’t forget to include things that are soft and cozy for those times when childen just need a comforting place for a moment.  

There we are, a quick guide to adding enriching outdoor play experiences to your outdoor play space. 

 What about small additions to further enrich children’s outdoor play? Well, get ready to snoop through thrift stores, engage families, and see familiar materials in a new light. Download this e-book from outdoor playscape designer Rusty Keeler: Rusty’s Outdoor Loose Parts List. As you consider what you might want to add (or take away) from your outdoor playscape, reflect on each material’s (and area’s) affordances – a big word to just say, “How many different things can children do with this material? How many different ways can they play with it?” The more “affordances” a material can provide, the richer the experiences it will add to your outdoor playscape.

Need another pair of eyes on your playscape or another brain to brainstorm with? Shoot our coaches (Judith (for Park, Gallatin, and Meagher counties), judith@cccmontana.org and Sara (for Lewis & Clark, Jefferson, and Broadwater counties), sara@cccmontana.org) an email and they will be happy to help!

Have a wonderful time exploring, and re-exploring, your outdoor playscapes with the children as your guides…and partners in crime.