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Resources for outdoor learning and play - ideas for teachers and parents

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These resources include outdoor lesson and play ideas, for you to use on Outdoor Classroom Day and to help you make getting outdoors part of every day!

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EYFS - Dirty Teaching by Juliet Robertson

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EYFS - Dirty Teaching by Juliet Robertson

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One of the keys to a happy and creative classroom is getting out of it and this book will give you the confidence to do just that. Drawing on academic research, Juliet explains why learning outdoors is so beneficial and provides plenty of tips and activities to help you to integrate outdoor learning into your teaching practice, providing a broad range of engaging outdoor experiences for your students.

There is no need for expensive tools or complicated technologies: all you need is your coat and a passion for learning - oh, and you'd better bring the kids too!

Topics covered include: forest schools, learning outside the classroom, outdoor education, nature activities, caring for the environment, play in schools, investigative play, urban outdoor activities, problem solving, creative thinking and strategies for supporting curriculum objectives.

For all primary practitioners who want to shake up their usual classroom routine and discover the benefits of teaching outdoors.

Dirty Teaching was a finalist in the Non-Fiction People's Book Prize Winter 2014 collection.

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Dirty Teaching: A Beginner's Guide to Learning Outdoors

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Dirty Teaching: A Beginner's Guide to Learning Outdoors eBook : Robertson, Juliet, Jane Hewitt, Gilbert, Ian: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

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Learning through Landscapes - activities across curriculum and school

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Learning through Landscapes - activities across curriculum and school

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Outdoor learning ideas | Learning through Landscapes

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Hundreds of free lesson ideas and activities for every age and subject area — ideal for curriculum-led outdoor learning and Forest School.

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Global Dimension: the world in your classroom

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With 1/10 UK children having never been to the beach, taking your class or group to the sea side has never been so important. Designed by the Marine Conservation Society to support teachers in planning and leading a fun day out at the beach, this curriculum linked resource includes...

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Find resources, lesson plans & case studies relating to the themes of food, farming and the natural environment. A range of quality assured educational content.

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Somerset Wildlife Trust - Wilder Schools

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Somerset Wildlife Trust - Wilder Schools

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Wilder Schools | Somerset Wildlife Trust

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Whether you’re a teacher, run a youth club, are part of the Guiding or Scouting movement, or just want to find some fun nature activities to do with your kids or grandkids, you’ve come to the right place!

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The Woodland Trust - I D sheets and much more...

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The Woodland Trust - I D sheets and much more...

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The Woodland Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 294344) and in Scotland (No. SC038885). A non-profit making company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 1982873.

Woodland Trust (Enterprises) Limited, registered in England (No. 2296645), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Woodland Trust. Registered office: Kempton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL.The Woodland Trust and Woodland Trust Nature Detectives logos are registered trademarks.

Images © protected Woodland Trust. VAT No. GB520 6111 04.

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Help youngsters learn about trees and wildlife with our outdoor learning resources and interactive activities.

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Learning Outside the Classroom (subscription only)

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Learning Outside the Classroom (subscription only)

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Beach school is a well-rounded, flexible, child-focused approach with underlying principles adopted from the forest school model. It is unique in emphasising learning outside of the classroom while providing children with the freedom to observe the ever-changing environment, to take risks and to learn to assess risk for themselves through adults' open-ended questions. The environment and its daunting size touches children's psyche, and - perhaps surprisingly - the large space brings them closer together. All aspects of the curriculum can be taught outside through discovery, investigation, and storytelling that stimulates shared thinking; beach schools demonstrate topics in a real context, engaging all of the senses and creating a stable base for future learning.

Unlike traditional outdoor programmes, which often start with questions to investigate, beach school is led by actual interests; leaders may initiate investigations, but they never direct. Its focus differs from forest school as the site is huge and open, and the environmental changes - for example, from sea to rock pool - happen within hours, offering endless opportunities to explore. Similarly, riversides and lakesides are constantly 'on the move', and are home to the likes of foxes, butterflies, numerous insects, magpies, jays and bats. Wildlife can be found everywhere if you're willing to look quietly.

Ways of learning

Beach schools are flexible, accommodating the differing ways in which children learn with appropriate pedagogy styles, and are based on observing individuals and following the dynamics of the group.

They employ multiple teaching methods, combining techniques that place children in the centre; focusing on nature, space, skill development, challenge and listening and recognising the different languages and voices of children. They are participatory, treating children as experts and agents of their own lives; and reflexive, including children, practitioners and parents in reflecting on meanings and addressing the question of interpretation. A framework for listening is embedded into practice, which has the potential to be used both as an evaluative tool and a teaching method.

Improvements in children's leadership skills and ability to deal with failure, and the transformation of their confidence levels, are the most noticeable developmental changes arising from beach school. Overcoming fears and exhibiting more confidence in taking risks (like jumping, climbing rocks), a willingness to contribute and take part, and a wish to try new things was present in many of the children at the start of our project; by the end of the sessions this was universal. During sessions children asked questions, showing how much they were thinking about the activity they were involved in, and also revisited activities, play and learning that had taken place during previous sessions. Regular reflection on immediate achievements, combined with the celebration of success, helped the children take pride in what they were doing.

A typical programme focuses on a number of main topics, for example, field studies of ecological systems, beach structure, beach management systems and wildlife conservation; sensory activities; beach crafts; team-building games; imaginative activities; physical play and construction; assessing risk and safety; observing flora and fauna; observing seasons, weather and tides; building shelter; fire lighting; role playing with found resources; and sand and stone play.

Beach school in practice: maths

Practitioners may find it hard to link the beach with specific areas of learning, so as an example, the following points will show how beach school activities can support children's development in mathematics...

1. Number sense means the ability to count accurately. On the beach we can really count anything: steps, stones, shells, poles of shelter, etc., and then we can link the numerals with names of objects. Verbal counting helps to develop mathematical language, magnitude comparison, quantity identifying and size understanding (more, less, bigger, smaller, etc.)

2. Patterns are appearances of things - numbers, shapes, images - that repeat in a logical and recognisable way. Patterns help children to make predictions, to figure out logical connections and to develop and use reasoning skills. The beach is actually built from patterns which allow the children to:

● seek similarities, differences and symmetry (in seabed, sand);

● make connections (how many steps away is the sea);

● build and construct (using stones, sand); sort and group in order (shape, size, colour, characteristics);

● understand dimensions (looking for 2D and 3D shapes);

● symbolise personal likes/choices through objects.

3. Children develop an ability to recognise mathematical problems, and they readily make ideas 'real' by using words, pictures, symbols and objects in their role play and in their social situations (e.g. acting out personal and fairy tale stories with numbers in them).

4. The development of spatial sense in early years leads to later understanding of geometry. On the beach it can be introduced by the observation of shapes, size, position, weight, length, direction and movement. The unbeatable advantage of the beach as a learning environment is that it constantly changes (due to natural forces) while retaining stable elements, objects, in it.

5. Observing their immediate environment helps children to understand mathematical instructions (e.g. following a map, creating a treasure trail, identifying and describing the position of things).

6. Beach school provides opportunities to think through a problem and to recognise that there is more than one path to a satisfying answer (e.g. walking to the sea in different ways). It means using past, existing knowledge and logical thinking skills to find answers.

7. When observing the natural environment even listening to sounds offers mathematical understanding:

● Counting and comparing beats of waves.

● The notation of sounds and organising the patterns of sounds helps children understand spatial relationships.

● Tonality (higher, lower) and pace (faster, slower) of sounds - being measurable attributes - develops measurement skills.

8. The beach creates countless mathematical mark making opportunities. There is a strong case that children's first marks cannot be dismissed as a generic 'scribbles' stage, because children are expressing, in form and content, identities, structures, symbols, events and meaning from their worlds.

The beach school approach

With the UK's over 11,000 miles of coastline, plus its many rivers and lakes, the beach school approach has a real validity to those working in early years settings. A confident working team with a sound knowledge of health and safety, emergency rules, flags, tidal times and rip tides is a necessity, and a qualified leader is required to devise a programme that's entirely based on individual children's interests; this allows the children to build on skills at their own age and stage. Beach schools provide an emotionally safe environment for children to explore, built on routine that is established with regular repetition throughout the programme.
Judit Horvath is a nursery management advisor.
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Beach schools give children the opportunity to appreciate many aspects of beaches and the coast which they may not have thought about or even experienced at all. We discuss what beach schools are, how they benefit children and how you can become a beach school leader.

Beach schools follow the same ethos as forest schools, you can learn more about the benefits of forest schools here. Beach schools use the coast as a platform for a whole new learning experience. They provide children with the opportunity to explore their natural surroundings in an organised setting.

The general idea of a beach school session is to not follow a fixed plan but rather to be more fluid and to follow children's instinctive curiosity. Then, meet their learning and developmental needs through the natural world. What's great about beach schools is no two beach school sessions will ever be the same.

According to a Keep Britain Tidy survey in 2018 just under one in five children (18%) have never even set foot on a beach. We have also read that according to recent research 75% of UK children now spend less time outdoors than prison inmates! We believe it is so important to get kids outside, experiencing and enjoying nature. Here's all you need to know about beach schools.

What are the benefits of beach schools?

The benefits of beach school's are endless, here are a few ways that beach schools can benefit children.
1. They help children to develop social skills.
Learning whilst outdoors requires engagement and a lot of effective communication. The coastal environment presents multiple opportunities to engage children in group activities. They will develop their communication and social skills by working in a group. The change in surroundings, and leaving the four walls of a classroom can greatly help a child to become more sociable.
2. They encourage children to be independent.
Beach schools are a great way to encourage children to not only work as part of a team but to also explore independently and think independently whilst being guided in a safely assessed session.
3. They help children to build confidence.
Beach schools and learning outdoors encourages children to take well thought out risks. This develops confidence in children. Everyone is different and classroom environments simply don't suit all children. Some children will totally thrive outdoors but they may not have been very confident in a classroom setting. This transformation can often transfer back into the classroom.
4. They develop physical skills.
Activities such as picking up seaweed or seashells are working those fine motor skills, stamina and gross motor skills naturally without children even realising it. A good run along the beach is fun and getting children to be physically active.
5. They get children motivated.
It's no secret that exercise and fresh air leaves us feeling motivated. Learning skills and taking part in activities at beach Schools gets children motivated and concentrating. This engagement and ability to focus on specific tasks and concentrate for extended periods of time is extremely beneficial for children.

What do Beach Schools involve?

Beach school sessions aim to educate children through games and activities, about their local coastal environment as well as how they can help to sustain it for future generations to enjoy. From bird watching, making fires, mark making in the sand with driftwood, tracking animals, running freely along the beach, litter picking and paddling in the sea, the beach provides children with so many outdoor learning opportunities.
Some of the typical topics explored during beach school sessions are:

How to be sensible, safe and responsible when using/enjoying the beach.

Explore the effects that changing seasons and tides have on the coast.

Understand sea defences, what hard and soft sea defences are.

Take part in mini beach cleans, and why this is important for the environment.

Explore the natural coastal environment.

Explore how marine flora and fauna have adapted to survive in their environments and how different weather conditions affect them.

Discuss pressures on the marine environment. E.g, marine pollution and overfishing.

Discover marine protected areas.

Identify different species and learn more about them.

Explore and discover coastal habitats.

Learn survival skills such as shelter building, fire lighting and cooking outdoors.

These are just a few of the topics that different beach schools will cover and cater to activities in line with. Beach schools also develop children's primary skills such as basic instincts, emotional intelligence, working as a team, confidence in being outdoors, social skills, and health and safety initiatives.

Become a beach school leader

There are plenty of courses available for you to train to be a beach school leader. A Level 3 qualification allows you to set up and run beach school sessions in your own setting. Different locations will offer different variations of the course however the core principle is the same and you will investigate how best to design and run a beach school programme and look at how to approach and apply it safely and effectively.

You don't need to have done Level 1 or 2 to join most Level 3 courses. They generally only require that you have had past experience in working with children outdoors and sometimes in any work capacity.

Where can I train to become a beach school leader?

Forest Schools - A great starting point, you could even complete the Level 1 Forest School online training for free before booking in for Level 3.

You don't need to have done Level 1 or 2 to join this course, it only requires that you have had past experience in working with children outdoors or in any work capacity. This course enables you to set up and run beach school sessions in your setting. You will investigate how best to design and run a beach school programme and look at how to approach and apply it safely and effectively.

This qualification can be utilised independently to assure practitioners and those employing them that children's safety is paramount and the use of the marine shores and beaches can be sustained for future generations as well as being productive in educating children with their unique qualities and habitats.

You can find upcoming courses in various locations here.

Newquay Forest School - The course is run from a number of different beaches in and around the Newquay area. If you have a group and would like to organise a course further afield then their trainers may be able to come to you get in touch with them to discuss further.

This comprehensive training is designed to give you the best possible foundation when leading activities from a marine environment. With core units in beach safety, conservation and group management it is the standard for teachers and outdoor practitioners or anyone looking to establish beach school provision in their own setting, as well as those who are using the beach for school trips and activity days.

The course runs for 5 days followed by 12 months to complete portfolio work. It is a 13 credit qualification with a total qualification time of 130 hours, including 47 guided learning hours. The minimum age for this qualification is 19.

Prior to application, it is recommended that students have either the ED Basics certificate or similar outdoor qualification at level 3 or have a minimum of two years experience of working with groups in the outdoors.

Learn more about costs and this course here, and find upcoming course dates here.

Manor House Forest School - You can become a fully qualified Level 3 coastal school leader with Manor House Forest School. It's the perfect qualification to fully embrace outdoor learning in Kent.

They provide advice and guidance and see you through to the end of the Award with full support. The training is held at a local beach in Westgate, Kent, but they're happy to consider other beach locations around East Kent (numbers dependent!) So get in touch.

This OCN 5-unit course is for people who wish to become coastal school leaders and/ or set up their own coastal school and is a nationally recognised qualification. The course is 5 full days of theory and practice, 2 further days of practical assignment, and 1day observation of your own sessions

More information about course dates and costs can be found here.

Outdoor learning is becoming increasingly popular within schools. If you are a carer or parent wishing for your child to attend a beach school a quick google search and you are sure to find one near to you that suits your needs!

Are you a Teacher or looking to hold a beach school session yourself? Here are some handy tips:

Like any school trip start with a risk assessment. Especially when visiting the beach there is an increased need for safety as the environment can sometimes be unpredictable this is a vital learning experience itself! With essential life skills being taught to children they will learn how to protect themselves and act responsibly when exposed to open water.
1. Take your time.
Make sure that you give yourself enough time to hold your session. You want your beach school session to be a substantial learning experience rather than a quick trip. This could be one of the first times a child is visiting the beach, they may need time to get used to the environment so they can appreciate the full experience.
2. Prepare for the weather.
Don't worry about the weather too much. This is an all weather activity, just make sure children are fully prepared with the correct clothing they might need. Ensure that children are fully protected to get stuck in and have fun. Some schools have also bought (or had donated) wellies and coats for children who do not have them at home which is a great way to include all children.

It's actually really important for children to experience the beach in all weather conditions they will develop a respect and understanding of the sea and how to stay safe when it comes to open water and exploring such risky environments.
3. Encourage or make beach school regular sessions.
If you or your school is located near to a beach then this is something you could try and do as often as possible! You could train to be a beach school leader and hold sessions once a week or fortnight. For those further away, try even once a term. It's beneficial for children to see the beach during different seasons and weather conditions.
4. Allow children to explore.
There are pressures and targets constantly in everyday life so it's important to relax a little bit and just let children explore. Children are naturally inquisitive and as they explore will begin to ask questions. Guide them in the right direction and encourage their interest. You might even see this mirrored in everyday school life.

Let us know if you're already a Beach School Leader, and about your own experiences in the comments! We would love to hear from you.

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What are Beach Schools? Beach Schools Benefits And Training

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Beach schools follow the same ethos as forest schools, you can learn more about the benefits of forest schools here. Beach schools use the coast as a platform for a whole new learning experience. They provide children with the opportunity to explore their natural surroundings in an organised setting.

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Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre - Charmouth - Fossils - Jurassic Coast - Lyme Regis

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The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre provides information on fossils, fossil hunting and the local coastal and marine wildlife. Facilities at the centre include interactive computers, hands on displays, marine tanks and a video microscope, all of which can help you to discover more about our stretch of the coastline.

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Creative STAR - Juliet Robertson, outdoor learning and play specialist 

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Creative STAR - Juliet Robertson, outdoor learning and play specialist 

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Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

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Welcome to the Creative STAR website and blog - the digital gateway to outdoor learning and play

Inside these pages are lots of practical ideas about learning and playing outdoors that have been written and/or curated by myself, Juliet Robertson - a former education consultant who specialised in learning and play outside. Feel free to:

Read the 500+ blog posts - the tabs at the top will help guide you OR use the search button below my photo in the RH column

Explore the comprehensive collections of literacy and maths suggestions

Check out the grant info

Share the love - if you borrow an idea, backlink to the blog post, tell us and we'll celebrate too 🙂

Clink on the links on the RH column. The search button is handy too! Join millions of others who've browsed the site since 2008. All posts are dated so that you know if something is current or more historic.
Life has its ups and downs. I was diagnosed with having Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in late December 2020. If you want to know how I'm getting on, then have a look at my Caring Bridge website every now and then as that's where I post updates. The Cosy Foundation have now taken over this website and other aspects of Creative STAR Learning, for which I am very grateful. I am still curating this website and have editorial control.

If you would like to help me make a difference, then please consider making a donation to Flynne's Barn, a charity which enables young people living with cancer to come together and find connection in beautiful surroundings. For more information about why I'm supporting this charity, have a look at my Flynne's Barn page or visit their website. THANK YOU!

A positive approach to being outside

Within this website you will find lots of ideas and accompanying photos that contain elements of risk. It is important that you consider all the suggestions on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they are appropriate for the developmental age and learning needs of your children. You also need to ensure that you are suitably competent and confident to ensure the routines, resources and environment are as safe as necessary. Remember to undertake a risk-benefit assessment for anything you feel needs it be this using tools and ropes, experiencing fire, climbing trees and other experiences involving heights, moving heavy objects, working off-site, near water and so-on. Creative STAR Learning is all about enabling great outdoor practice but every educator and establishment needs to undertake this within a framework of safety.

Likewise it is important that wherever you are working you follow the land access laws of your country. Being respectful of others, leaving no trace of your presence and considering the impact of your practice on the environment are all part of your responsibilities as educators.

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Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

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Creative STAR Learning Company works behind the scenes supporting and developing outdoor learning and play at a national, local and school level

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We are empowering an inclusive global movement to tackle Ocean threats through science and storytelling

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In Messy Maths: A Playful, Outdoor Approach for Early Years, Juliet Robertson offers a rich resource of ideas that will inspire you to tap into the endless supply of patterns, textures, colours and quantities of the outdoors and deepen children's understanding of maths through hands-on experience. Juliet believes being outside makes maths real. In the classroom environment, maths can seem disconnected from everyday reality but real maths is really messy. Lots of outdoor play and engaging activity along the way is a must, as being outside enables connections to be made between the hands, heart and head, and lays the foundations for more complex work as children grow, develop and learn. Following on from the success of Dirty Teaching (ISBN 978-178135107-9), Messy Maths reimagines the outdoor space through a mathematical lens providing a treasure trove of suggestions that will empower you to blend outdoor learning into your teaching practice. It is not a 'how to' guide, but rather an easy-to-use reference book replete with ready-to-use games and open-ended ideas designed to help children become confident and skilled in thinking about, using and exploring abstract mathematical concepts as they play outside. Many of these ideas and activities are also beautifully displayed in full-colour photographs throughout the book, making it even easier to jump straight into outstanding outdoor learning opportunities. Topics covered include: general advice; exploring numbers; number functions and fractions; money; measurement; time; pattern; shape and symmetry; position, direction and movement; data handling; routines; and the mathematical garden. Each chapter features a section on topic-specific vocabulary and expressions to help you integrate terminology into each area of study, while suggestions for embedding maths into routines are also provided to assist in the development of creative, progressive and flexible approaches to everyday situations. Messy Maths is suitable for early years educators (of ages 3 to 6) who want to shake up their usual classroom practice and make the most of any outdoor space - whether this be a nursery, playgroup, child-minder's back garden or a nature kindergarten as a context for maths.

Messy Maths has been named the Gold Winner in the Mathematics category of the Nursery World Equipment & Resources Awards 2019.

Messy Maths has been named the Silver Winner in the Outdoor Play category and Professional Books (and authors) category of the Nursery World Equipment & Resources Awards 2019.

Messy Maths was a 2017 Foreword INDIES Finalist in the Education category.

Messy Maths has been named a 'Gold Winner' in the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards 2018 in the Education category.

Messy Maths is a finalist in the 2018 Education Resources Awards in the Educational Book Award category.

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Messy Maths: A playful, outdoor approach for early years

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Messy Maths: A playful, outdoor approach for early years eBook : Robertson, Juliet: Amazon.co.uk: Books

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The Department for Education's strategy for sustainability and climate change for the education and children's services systems.

Details

Education plays a vital role in:

helping to tackle climate change

creating a better, greener world for future generations

We can positively impact, influence and inspire communities by improving the:

sustainability of the environment in and around education settings

knowledge and understanding of children and young people

To do this, the Department for Education (DfE) has developed a sustainability and climate change strategy to:

help the education sector and children's services systems do this

inspire action on the international stage

Whilst developing our strategy we've engaged with:

educators

subject specialists

representative bodies

leading experts

young people

Our strategy

Our strategy responds to recommendations for education from the:

Committee for Climate Change

Dasgupta Review

Green Jobs Taskforce report.

It builds on existing work being done across the sector. It will support the delivery of the UK government's 25 Year Environment Plan and Net Zero Strategy.

The strategy's vision is for the United Kingdom to be the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030. In England, we will achieve this through 4 strategic aims:

1. Excellence in education and skills for a changing world: preparing all young people for a world impacted by climate change through learning and practical experience.

2. Net zero: reducing direct and indirect emissions from education and care buildings, driving innovation to meet legislative targets and providing opportunities for children and young people to engage practically in the transition to net zero.

3. Resilient to climate change: adapting our education and care buildings and system to prepare for the effects of climate change.

4. A better environment for future generations: enhancing biodiversity, improving air quality and increasing access to, and connection with, nature in and around education and care settings.

The strategy includes the following key action areas:

climate education

green skills and careers

the education estate and digital infrastructure

operations and supply chains

international action

We will continue working with the sector and young people as this strategy is implemented .

Watch a summary of:

the aims of the strategy

2 key initiatives, the National Education Nature Park and Climate Leaders Award

Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, Nature Park and Climate Leaders Award animation

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Sustainability and climate change strategy

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We promote use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning so that children can contribute to a better future for all. From citizenship and justice to climate change and the environment, inspire children to make a difference!

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ScotDEC - Explore the Global Goals - activities for all 17 goals

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ScotDEC - Explore the Global Goals - activities for all 17 goals

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Explore the Global Goals – 17 activities for Primary Schools – Scotdec

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These 17 colourful postcards are great for introducing children from Early Years through to P7 to the Sustainable Development Goals. The accompanying booklet suggests ways to develop the learning further.

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GLADE (Global Learning and Development Education) | Fostering global citizenship through education and lifelong learning.

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"This year's observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty falls as the world embarks on a bold new path towards a future of dignity for all guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message for the...

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Practical Action is a global innovator, inspiring people to discover and adopt ingenious, practical ways to free themselves from poverty and disadvantage.

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Picture books to inspire cross-curricular and global learning

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Picture books to inspire cross-curricular and global learning

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OXFAM - Books to inspire global learning

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OXFAM - Books to inspire global learning

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Here are 10 ideas for books to help younger children learn and think about our world, and inspire them to make a difference.

The following collection of book titles draws on suggestions from Oxfam GB staff members and is by no means a definitive list - there are many other books we could have chosen and themes we could have explored!

The simple poem and bright colours in this picture book encourage children everywhere to dare to dream and try new things, to help others and to speak out. It also shares the message that all of us have the right to be who we are; to have opinions and to voice these freely.

Young people are growing up in an increasingly complex and challenging world. More than ever, they need space and support to talk about their issues and concerns.

This is a story about a girl called Ruby, who one day finds a worry that begins to grow and grow. This engaging picture book could be used to spark a conversation about how everyone has worries, and talking about these concerns with others can help.

English and Global Citizenship

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Oxfam GB | 10 books to inspire children to be active global citizens

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Here are 10 ideas for books to help younger children learn and think about our world, and inspire them to make a difference. The following collection of book titles draws on suggestions from Oxfam GB staff members and is by no means a definitive list - there are many other books we could have chosen and themes we could have explored!

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Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

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Welcome to the Creative STAR website and blog - the digital gateway to outdoor learning and play

Inside these pages are lots of practical ideas about learning and playing outdoors that have been written and/or curated by myself, Juliet Robertson - a former education consultant who specialised in learning and play outside. Feel free to:

Read the 500+ blog posts - the tabs at the top will help guide you OR use the search button below my photo in the RH column

Explore the comprehensive collections of literacy and maths suggestions

Check out the grant info

Share the love - if you borrow an idea, backlink to the blog post, tell us and we'll celebrate too 🙂

Clink on the links on the RH column. The search button is handy too! Join millions of others who've browsed the site since 2008. All posts are dated so that you know if something is current or more historic.
Life has its ups and downs. I was diagnosed with having Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in late December 2020. If you want to know how I'm getting on, then have a look at my Caring Bridge website every now and then as that's where I post updates. The Cosy Foundation have now taken over this website and other aspects of Creative STAR Learning, for which I am very grateful. I am still curating this website and have editorial control.

If you would like to help me make a difference, then please consider making a donation to Flynne's Barn, a charity which enables young people living with cancer to come together and find connection in beautiful surroundings. For more information about why I'm supporting this charity, have a look at my Flynne's Barn page or visit their website. THANK YOU!

A positive approach to being outside

Within this website you will find lots of ideas and accompanying photos that contain elements of risk. It is important that you consider all the suggestions on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they are appropriate for the developmental age and learning needs of your children. You also need to ensure that you are suitably competent and confident to ensure the routines, resources and environment are as safe as necessary. Remember to undertake a risk-benefit assessment for anything you feel needs it be this using tools and ropes, experiencing fire, climbing trees and other experiences involving heights, moving heavy objects, working off-site, near water and so-on. Creative STAR Learning is all about enabling great outdoor practice but every educator and establishment needs to undertake this within a framework of safety.

Likewise it is important that wherever you are working you follow the land access laws of your country. Being respectful of others, leaving no trace of your presence and considering the impact of your practice on the environment are all part of your responsibilities as educators.

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Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

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Creative STAR Learning Company works behind the scenes supporting and developing outdoor learning and play at a national, local and school level