Nursery group calls for two hours’ outdoor play…this is the weatherproof way to deliver it

Posted on 13th March 2019 | Posted in Education, Latest News

Come the end of this month (March), the clocks will change, meaning the nights will get longer and we’ll all have more time to spend outside while it’s light.

Being in the fresh air and heading outdoors is essential for our everyday health and wellbeing. It’s widely reported how it can boost our immune systems and Vitamin D levels, particularly during the summer months when the sun is at its strongest.

Yet as beneficial as being outside may be, the average UK person spends just 8 per cent of their time outside on a weekday, which equates to less than two hours a day.

We therefore weren’t surprised to see that a nursery group in London, The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), has launched an appeal for all nursery children to be given two hours’ mandatory outside play for at least two hours a day.

The group says an increasing amount of children only have access to nature via the ‘nursery garden’ while according to its Chief Executive, ‘26 per cent of new houses in London don’t have a garden and therefore for small children, the nursery garden becomes an essential alternative.’

As well as launching the national campaign, the LEYF has introduced outdoor sessions for a minimum of two hours at all of its settings. The move is aimed at giving its children the chance to access nature and boost their Vitamin D levels.

We’re a huge ambassador for all things outdoor learning and play, especially initiatives and ideas that encourage children to get some fresh air into their lungs all-year round

However, we all know just how unpredictable the great British weather can be. This often means that around this time of the year, we all find ourselves wondering (and hoping) if we’re going to have a good summer or not.

Unfortunately, this unpredictability factor can limit how often youngsters get to venture outside and how long they get to spend outside too.

Fortunately, we can change all that. In fact, we’ve been doing so for the last 30 years.

Thanks to our extensive range of outdoor canopies, nursery and schoolchildren can spend valuable time outside during break-times and lesson times, sheltered from the elements

Hundreds of nurseries, as well as primary and secondary schools, have used our canopies to create bespoke learning and/or play environments that can be used in the wind, rain, sunshine and snow.

For nurseries and schools, it’s an incredibly effective way of getting more use from their outdoor space and behind initiatives and campaigns like the one just launched by the LEYF. While for children, it’s a guaranteed way of burning off energy, stimulating the brain – and senses – and having some good old-fashioned fun!

Montem Primary School, Bradley Primary School and Incredible Kids Day Nursery are just some of the education establishments who’ve gone down the sheltered outdoor learning/play area route. To find out more or to discuss how you can follow in their footsteps, contact us today on 01254 777 002 or info@canopiesuk.co.uk.