<h1>New VCAB</h1><br/>ABC MAGAZINE - SUSSEX WINTER 2007 (NOVEMBER 2007 - MARCH 2008) 89 Outdoor play every day! The essence of The Acorns Nursery School is happy children, given time to be children, playing, running about outside and playing sport, being inquisitive, questioning, discovering, exploring and learning at their own pace, in a safe, stimulating and friendly environment, says Janet Irwin, the owner. Research shows that movement is the key to all learning and our children enjoy the outdoor environment, going for country walks, making dens in the woods, climbing over stiles and splashing in puddles. Please come and see us in action! Tel: (01444) 455081 www.theacornsnurseryschool.com A group of almost three hundred teachers, psychologists, authors and childcare experts wrote a letter to a national newspaper in August, claiming that the loss of unstructured play is threatening the health and wellbeing of a generation of children. They believe that the increasing loss of opportunities for children’s unstructured play is a major factor in the rise of mental health and behavioural problems of young people in recent years. They insist that play, particularly outdoors, is vital to children’s all-round health and well-being. From my own experience of being involved Outdoor play has an amazing magical effect on children. It almost seems to have ‘magical’ powers. It feeds their imagination and all of their senses. From my own experience, I have seen children thrive and blossom outdoors, whether it’s splashing about in muddy puddles, building a den in the woods, collecting conkers, looking for creepy crawlies, playing on logs or climbing up and down the climbing frame. All of the areas of learning are accessed through outdoor play. Children devise games, engage in role play, spontaneously sing songs, explore, discover and are genuinely excited by the world around them. We recently took a group of children in our Nursery School on a country walk. We got no further than a huge pile of logs. This was their train, their house, their aeroplane. Language was amazing. Imagination was amazing. Discovery was amazing. Learning was amazing. They didn’t want to leave this magical place and neither did we. Outdoor play leads the way for Early Years! by Janet Irwin The Acorns Nursery School in Westmeston and Lind. eld in the childcare sector for over twenty years, I would concur with this view. Research into early years has found that long-term success at school is greatly increased by developing children’s sensory motor skills. Early years settings will be encouraging the children to play outdoors, to run, jump and take part in sport as an integral part of their daily routine. Skills acquired prior to seven are the key to long-term successful outcomes. Skills acquired after the age of seven do not have such a benefi cial effect. There are two categories of motor skills. These are called gross motor and fi ne motor skills. Gross motor skills relate to the large muscle groups which we use for activities such as walking, running and jumping. Fine motor skills The Acorns Nursery School Westmeston (between Ditchling & Plumpton) A stunning rural setting for 2-5 year olds Tel: Janet Irwin (01444) 455081 www.theacornsnurseryschool.com "Outstanding" says OFSTED ... what Sussex parents really read! Language was amazing. Imagination was amazing. Discovery was amazing. Learning was amazing. (continued over the page)