The learning environment within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) plays a key role in a child’s development, learning and care.

“Children learn and develop well in enabling environments with teaching and support from adults, who respond to their individual interests and needs and help them to build their learning over time..”

EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers (2024: p.7)
EYFS statutory framework for childminders (2024: p.6)

“Practitioners carefully organise enabling environments for high-quality play … A well-planned learning environment indoors and outdoors, is an important aspect of pedagogy.” Development matters (2023:p.10)

It is important to see the link between the environment and the learning taking place and to ask yourself these questions:

• Do children have the time and space to interact with the environment?
• Do you allow experimentation?
• Is there plenty of opportunities for children to practice, consolidate and extend their learning?
• Do observations influence the environment?
• Is it a language-rich environment?

Indeed, in Reggio Emilia, the belief is that the environment acts as the third teacher in a child’s life.

But how is the environment perceived by the families and children?

• What does the outdoor environment ‘say’ about what will be happening indoors?
• What are the first impressions of your setting, as families and visitors make their way to the entrance?
• Indoors, is it a homely and welcoming environment?
• Are there new provocations ‘inviting’ the children to touch and explore, both indoors and outdoors?

The current early years inspection handbook and the current school inspection handbook both identify teaching as:

“… a broad term that covers the many different ways in which adults help young children learn …It takes account of the equipment adults provide and the attention given to the physical environment as well as the structure and routines of the day that establish expectations.”

Early years inspection handbook (2024:paragraph 185)
School inspection handbook (2024:paragraph 436)

Key questions to ask when planning an enabling learning environment

• Do the children have access to a range of stimulating resources which are accessible and open-ended and relevant to the children’s interests (age/stage appropriate)?
• Do the indoor and outdoor spaces give the children the resources to explore, build, move and role-play?
• Are the spaces visually calm and orderly, limiting noise and helping the children to concentrate?
• Do you plan first-hand experiences and challenges appropriate to the development of the children?
• Are the children able to have the time to explore and play, uninterrupted, becoming deeply involved in their activities?
• Do you and your staff establish the enabling conditions for rich play-space, time, flexible resources, choice, control and warm and supportive relationships?
• Are there opportunities for the children to play with materials before using them in planned tasks?
• In planning activities, ask yourself: Is this an opportunity for children to find their own ways to represent and develop their own ideas? Avoid children just reproducing someone else’s ideas.
• Is the routine recognisable and predictable yet flexible, helping the children to predict and make connections in their experiences?
• Have you and your staff developed a learning community which focuses on how and not just what is being learnt?

The characteristics of effective learning taken from Birth to 5 matters (2021: p.52-54)

Outdoor learning environment

“Outdoor learning complements indoor learning and is equally important. Play and learning that flow seamlessly between indoors and outdoors enable children to make the most of the resources and materials available to them and develop their ideas without unnecessary interruption. Outdoor learning encompasses all that children do, see, hear or feel in their outdoor space. This includes the experiences that practitioners create and plan for, the spontaneous activities that children initiate, and the naturally occurring cyclical opportunities linked to the seasons, weather and nature.”

Effective practice: outdoor learning (2007:p.1) [Online].

The role of the adult is often overlooked when planning the outdoor environment. It is just as important that the adult can interact with the child’s play outdoors as it is indoors. Therefore, thought needs to be given to how this can happen outdoors e.g. adult chairs, carpet squares etc. It is also important that the adults have a positive attitude, as children need attentive and engaged adults who enjoy and are enthusiastic about the importance of learning outside. Adults also need to understand the importance of risk assessment so that children can explore the area, rather than being restricted in it.

Key areas need to be considered, when planning your outside space:

1. Access and Security
2. Shelter and Shade
3. Appropriate Clothing
4. Appropriate Storage
5. Variety of Surfaces
6. The Four Elements
7. Natural Spaces
8. Growing Spaces
9. Active Spaces
10. Reflective Spaces
11. Creative Spaces
12. Social Spaces

Early years outdoor learning: a toolkit for developing early years outdoor provision (2009)