The benefits of having an outdoor classroom on your school playground

Primary schools up and down the country are eager to make learning more fun for both pupils and teachers and have started to look beyond the traditional classroom.

Outdoor classrooms add to the experience of school life for children whilst aiding their development. These practical, covered areas can be used for learning, socialising, and play – and the team at Setter Play can build them to your exact specification and curriculum needs.

Here we look at some of the other benefits an outdoor classroom can have on the children at your school.

5 brilliant reasons to choose an outdoor classroom

1. Create a multi-faceted area– outdoor classrooms are great for reading, teaching, eating, and playing. Perhaps yours will be a waiting shelter for parents on the school run? Or a tranquil area for students to sit and reflect or for group interventions? How you choose to use an outdoor classroom is entirely up to you.
2. Teach outside in all weathers– having an outdoor classroom on your school grounds creates a fantastic learning environment for children. In most cases, it becomes an extension of the indoor classroom and maximises the use of the school playground. However, because these areas are sheltered, they can be used for lessons 365 days of the year – come rain or shine.
3. Promote health and well-being– childhood obesity has been a growing concern for years now and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 39 million children aged 5 and under were overweight or obese in 2020. Encouraging children to spend more time in the fresh air – either playing with their friends, learning new things from the teacher, or participating in group activities – is good for their health and well-being.
4. Foster social engagement– as mentioned above, outdoor classrooms make for excellent socialisation and relaxation zones on the playground – providing staff, students, and parents with a dry place to sit and socialise. But aside from this, taking children into a new environment, surrounded by nature, can increase participation in lessons. There are fewer constraints and they can focus better.
5. Provide shelter and shade – from freezing temperatures, heavy rainfall, and frost in the winter to blistering sunshine in the summer, the Great British weather can play havoc on a play area and make it impossible for teachers to take the kids outside. But having an outdoor classroom can provide some much-needed shelter and shade, just a few steps away from the classroom door.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

If you’re interested in installing an outdoor classroom somewhere on your school playground, get in touch with the experts at Setter Play.

They have been working with primary schools in their home county for more than two decades, bringing creative ideas to life. And if you have any questions regarding their playground equipment, or would like to know more about the projects they have worked on in the past, they would love to hear from you.