Discover 10 creative and free outdoor English teaching ideas that will engage your students and bring learning to life—read the blog now and download your free activities!
Outdoor learning is a fantastic way to engage students in English lessons, giving them a chance to explore language while connecting with nature. Whether you’re looking for activities to reinforce spelling, practice creative writing, or enhance phonics skills, these 10 free outdoor English lesson ideas from Educate Outside are perfect for hands-on, nature-inspired learning.
2. Outdoor Phonics Activity: Spelling List Hunt (Phase 2 Sounds)
Spelling List Hunt for Phase 2 Phonics Sounds
Make phonics fun with this spelling hunt! Students search for cards hidden outdoors, each containing pictures and missing letters, as they identify Phase 2 phonics sounds and spell the words correctly. It’s an active and engaging way to reinforce early literacy skills.
3. All About Me Nature Name Art
All About Me Nature Name Art
A great back-to-school activity! Students create nature-inspired name art by collecting materials like leaves, sticks, and stones to form the letters of their names. Afterward, they can write a short piece about what their name represents and the nature items they used, promoting self-expression and descriptive writing.
4. Woodland Recounts Template
Woodland Recount Template
After an outdoor adventure or woodland walk, students use this recount template to write about their experience. It’s an excellent way to practice recount writing, helping students structure their thoughts and reflect on what they’ve seen and felt in nature.
5. Match The Sound: Phase 5 Phonics
Phase 5 Phonics Sound Match
This outdoor phonics game challenges students to match sounds to the correct words using Phase 5 phonics. It’s a hands-on way to strengthen phonetic recognition while enjoying the outdoors, turning learning into a playful activity.
6. Figurative Language Activity
Weather Inspector Figurative Language Lesson
Encourage students to think like poets with this figurative language activity. As ‘weather inspectors,’ they head outside to observe the weather and use figurative language (similes, metaphors, personification) to describe it, building creative writing skills.
7. Outdoor Spelling Practise: Spelling Lists Activity
Outdoor Spelling Practice Lesson
Transform spelling practice into an active outdoor adventure. Students use this resource to practice spelling words while enjoying nature, reinforcing spelling patterns in an engaging way. Perfect for making repetitive tasks more dynamic and enjoyable.
8. Descriptive Writing: Barefoot Descriptions
Barefoot Description Writing Activity
This sensory-based activity has students remove their shoes and walk barefoot on different surfaces like grass, dirt, or sand. They’ll then use their experience to write a descriptive passage, focusing on how the ground feels underfoot. It’s an immersive way to enhance their descriptive writing by incorporating touch.
9. Descriptive Writing: Five Senses Walk
Five Senses Walk Lesson
Take students on a sensory walk, encouraging them to use all five senses to observe their surroundings. They’ll record what they see, hear, smell, touch, and taste (if applicable), and later use these sensory details to write a vivid descriptive piece.
10. Autumn / Fall Word Scavenger Hunt
Autumn/Fall Word Scavenger Hunt
This autumn-themed scavenger hunt is perfect for reinforcing vocabulary. Students search for objects that start with each letter of the word “autumn” or “fall.” It’s a fun way to build spelling and vocabulary skills while exploring the outdoor environment.
Taking English lessons outdoors encourages students to engage with language in fresh, exciting ways. These free resources from Educate Outside provide plenty of creative, hands-on activities to help your students practice spelling, phonics, and descriptive writing while enjoying the natural world. Explore these ideas and bring the joy of learning outside today!
Discover 10 creative and free outdoor English teaching ideas that will engage your students and bring learning to life—read the blog now and download your free activities!
Outdoor learning is a fantastic way to engage students in English lessons, giving them a chance to explore language while connecting with nature. Whether you’re looking for activities to reinforce spelling, practice creative writing, or enhance phonics skills, these 10 free outdoor English lesson ideas from Educate Outside are perfect for hands-on, nature-inspired learning.
1. Autumn Acrostic Poetry
Autumn Acrostic Poetry Lesson
This activity combines creativity and seasonal exploration, as students head outside to collect words and phrases that describe autumn. They will use their findings to create acrostic poems, helping them practice descriptive writing while exploring the beauty of fall.
Download Autumn Acrostic Poetry Pack For Free.
2. Outdoor Phonics Activity: Spelling List Hunt (Phase 2 Sounds)
Spelling List Hunt for Phase 2 Phonics Sounds
Make phonics fun with this spelling hunt! Students search for cards hidden outdoors, each containing pictures and missing letters, as they identify Phase 2 phonics sounds and spell the words correctly. It’s an active and engaging way to reinforce early literacy skills.
3. All About Me Nature Name Art
All About Me Nature Name Art
A great back-to-school activity! Students create nature-inspired name art by collecting materials like leaves, sticks, and stones to form the letters of their names. Afterward, they can write a short piece about what their name represents and the nature items they used, promoting self-expression and descriptive writing.
4. Woodland Recounts Template
Woodland Recount Template
After an outdoor adventure or woodland walk, students use this recount template to write about their experience. It’s an excellent way to practice recount writing, helping students structure their thoughts and reflect on what they’ve seen and felt in nature.
5. Match The Sound: Phase 5 Phonics
Phase 5 Phonics Sound Match
This outdoor phonics game challenges students to match sounds to the correct words using Phase 5 phonics. It’s a hands-on way to strengthen phonetic recognition while enjoying the outdoors, turning learning into a playful activity.
6. Figurative Language Activity
Weather Inspector Figurative Language Lesson
Encourage students to think like poets with this figurative language activity. As ‘weather inspectors,’ they head outside to observe the weather and use figurative language (similes, metaphors, personification) to describe it, building creative writing skills.
7. Outdoor Spelling Practise: Spelling Lists Activity
Outdoor Spelling Practice Lesson
Transform spelling practice into an active outdoor adventure. Students use this resource to practice spelling words while enjoying nature, reinforcing spelling patterns in an engaging way. Perfect for making repetitive tasks more dynamic and enjoyable.
8. Descriptive Writing: Barefoot Descriptions
Barefoot Description Writing Activity
This sensory-based activity has students remove their shoes and walk barefoot on different surfaces like grass, dirt, or sand. They’ll then use their experience to write a descriptive passage, focusing on how the ground feels underfoot. It’s an immersive way to enhance their descriptive writing by incorporating touch.
9. Descriptive Writing: Five Senses Walk
Five Senses Walk Lesson
Take students on a sensory walk, encouraging them to use all five senses to observe their surroundings. They’ll record what they see, hear, smell, touch, and taste (if applicable), and later use these sensory details to write a vivid descriptive piece.
10. Autumn / Fall Word Scavenger Hunt
Autumn/Fall Word Scavenger Hunt
This autumn-themed scavenger hunt is perfect for reinforcing vocabulary. Students search for objects that start with each letter of the word “autumn” or “fall.” It’s a fun way to build spelling and vocabulary skills while exploring the outdoor environment.
Taking English lessons outdoors encourages students to engage with language in fresh, exciting ways. These free resources from Educate Outside provide plenty of creative, hands-on activities to help your students practice spelling, phonics, and descriptive writing while enjoying the natural world. Explore these ideas and bring the joy of learning outside today!
Adam