Benefits of active play for Early Years Foundation Stage

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2nd January

Creating outdoor spaces for children to develop their skills

The Early years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is children from birth to 5 years old. 

Benefits of active play for Early Years Foundation Stage image


A child’s development will mostly be taught through games and play from 7 areas of learning:

1. Communication and language - listening and attention, understanding, speaking.

2. Personal, social and emotional development - making relationships, self-confidence and self-awareness, managing feelings and behaviour.

3. Physical development - moving and handling, health and self-care.

(These three prime areas begin to develop quickly in response to relationships and experiences, and run through and support learning in all other areas. The prime areas continue to be fundamental throughout the EYFS.)

4. Literacy - reading and writing.

5. Mathematics - numbers, shapes, space and measure.

6. Understanding the world - people and communities, the world, technology.

7. Expressive arts and design - being imaginative.

(The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. They grow out of the prime areas, and provide important contexts for learning.)

[source: Moylett & Stewart, 2012]


What is EYFS?

EYFS is what children learn and how they learn, with the most effective ways being a mix of different approaches.  Children learn through play, by observing each other and through adult-guided learning.


Physical development

Vital for any child’s development is physical activity giving them the opportunity to have happy, healthy and active lives. Their gross and fine motor skills develop throughout early childhood, so by creating games and outdoor play, parents and adults can support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, coordination and agility.

Gross motor skills involve movement in the arms and legs to perform actions like walking, jumping, and crawling.  Fine motor skills involve the use of smaller muscles in the hands and wrists to perform actions like pointing, pinching, and turning things over.


Teaching and learning

Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, relate to others, set their own goals and solve problems. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play and learning that is guided by adults. 


Outdoor play

Adding an outdoor play area is the perfect way to support children's development, both in a commercial and residential setting. These play areas give children the opportunity to climb and swing, slide and play together, create games and let their imagination run wild. The play area could be a fort, castle, or a ship, or a clubhouse with activity panels - a shop front, chalkboard or crazy maze. 




Ready to start designing your play area?


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