All About the Outdoors
The set is attractively packaged with beautiful photographs of children engaged with others in outdoor settings. It comes complete with comprehensive booklets, not only identifying the stages of development of children engaged in outdoor settings, but including a very helpful and informative section stressing why the outdoors is essential for development and good health. Each child is discussed in the booklet under subheadings which include such things as: the role of movement; the special nature of the outdoors; schemas; materials and resources; personal and social development; language development and adult support and interaction. Collectively, the six children provide a rich resource, in terms of observational material, highlighting the expected behavioural and developmental characteristics of this particular age group. The booklets are also extremely useful for providing prompts for developing practice, taking parents, practitioners and environment into consideration.
The quality of the film work is outstanding and it is a real pleasure to watch, with or without the sound track. It gives a unique insight into the interests and concerns of children in the outdoor environment. Sensitive choice has been made to ensure each unique individual is captured in a natural way but it also, collectively, presents a huge range of children's interests, schemas and behaviours. The camera work is positioned so that the viewer has the child's eye view of the world and it reminds viewers how the ordinary can become extraordinary, when young children are exploring their world.
I feel it is an invaluable resource for those studying programmes aimed at the 0-5 age phase. I use it to promote discussion and stimulate action planning for individual needs. I have used it with UG students and PGCE students. Both sets of students have enjoyed the observations of toddlers in the outdoor environment. It has helped them to consider the 'look fors' in toddlers' development.
This set is to be highly recommended to those delivering programmes and courses which have a focus on the early years. It provides an excellent resource for demonstrating children's learning in action through outdoor play.
