Outdoor Learning Scheme of Work Ages 5 to 6 Overview

Ages 5–6 Outdoor Curriculum Overview

🌳 Term 1 — Weeks 1–10

Week	Lesson	Theme	Curriculum Links	Summary
1	NATURE FACES	Creativity	art	“Nature Faces” using materials they collect during a nature walk.
2	JOURNEY STICKS	Creativity	art	In this session your class will go on a nature walk, exploring their surroundings and collecting six or seven fascinating items they discover along the way. These treasures will be creatively arranged and attached onto their personal “Journey Sticks.”
3	SPIKY CREATIONS	Creativity	art, science	“Spiky Creations” is an exciting outdoor creative activity. During this session, children will have the opportunity to craft clay hedgehogs and porcupines.
4	HAPA ZOME	Creativity	art, science	In this session, children will go on a captivating journey into the world of Hapa Zome art. They will use the vibrant colors found in nature to create stunning, eco-friendly artworks.
5	MUD MASTERPIECES	Creativity	art, history	In this week’s outdoor activity, your young artists will create unique artworks using the earthy wonders of mud and water. Inspired by ancient cave art, children will explore their creative instincts as they transform mud into imaginative paintings.
6	BUG HOTEL	Communication	—	“Bug Hotel,” your young explorers will go on a fascinating outdoor challenge to create a bug hotel. This hands-on activity not only connects children with nature but also educates them about the vital role insects play in our ecosystem.
7	WILDLIFE CHARADES	Communication	science	“Wildlife Charades” is a lively outdoor activity that will connect your class with the local wildlife in their area. Through the exciting game of charades, children will develop creativity and imagination as they mimic the movements and behaviors of animals they might encounter.
8	NATURE’S RAINBOW	Communication	science, art	In this team-based activity, children will go on a colorful journey through nature, armed with cards featuring different colors. Their mission is to gather a rainbow of natural items.
9	THE MYSTERY BAG	Communication	science, literacy	“This Mystery Bag” activity aims to develop communication, observation, and language skills. Children will collect items from their surroundings, and then pair up to play a fun guessing game with their collected treasures.
10	BLINDFOLDED STICK SHAPES	Communication	math	“Blindfolded Stick Shapes” is a creative and communicative challenge. In small groups of 5 or 4, children take on the roles of shape creators and blindfolded shape builders using sticks.

🍃 Term 2 — Weeks 1–10

Week	Lesson	Theme	Curriculum Links	Summary
1	GRATITUDE TREE	Reflection	PSHE	This lesson is a heartwarming outdoor activity which will cultivate a sense of gratitude and reflection. Children will write what they are thankful for on leaves and then collaborate to create a class tree on a large sheet of paper.
2	SENSORY SAFARI	Reflection	—	In this lesson your class will explore their senses through nature.
3	LEAF IMPRESSIONS	Reflection	Science, art	In this session, children will discover different plants and explore their features through a fun art activity. After collecting a variety of leaves, they will delve into the world of leaf art by gently hammering them onto paper to create unique “Leafy Impressions.” This…
4	MAGNIFY THE MAGIC	Reflection	Science	This outdoor lesson is a captivating exploration of nature using magnifying glasses. It’s great to give children time to explore.
5	REFLECTION STONES	Reflection	PSHE	In this session your class will explore and express emotions through art. They will go on a nature hunt to collect pebbles or small wood slices, and then transform them into expressive faces representing various emotions like happiness, uncertainty, and sadness.
6	MUD PLAY	Independence	science, math	In this outdoor lesson, young explorers will dive into the wonderful world of mud. They’ll have the chance to engage in creative, sensory play as they explore, experiment, and simply have fun with mud.
7	NATURE’S BUOYANCY	Independence	science	In this week’s outdoor lesson, students will become explorers of buoyancy as they investigate which items from nature float and which sink.
8	LEAF SHAPE	Independence	math, art	Students will become shape explorers as they investigate the world of leaves and transform them into a leaf collage.
9	NATURE BINGO	Independence	—	This session is all about giving children time to explore the world around them with some bingo fun! This interactive lesson encourages children to connect with nature, develop their independence, and have fun while learning.
10	NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY	Independence	science, art	In this outdoor lesson, children wi I not only discover the wonders of the natural environment but also learn the art of capturing them through the lens.

🍂 Term 3 — Weeks 1–10

Week	Lesson	Theme	Curriculum Links	Summary
1	SKETCH SAFARI	Creativity	Art	In this week’s session your class will become outdoor artists, choosing and drawing items from the natural surroundings.
2	NATURE STAMPS	Creativity	Art	In this session, students will use nature stamps to create unique works of art.
3	POTION MAKING	Creativity	Literacy: Instructions, Story Telling Science: Materials	In this session, your class will explore their imagination and creativity by crafting magical potions using natural materials.
4	MUD MONSTERS	Creativity	Art Literacy: Story Telling	In this exciting session, your class will transform ordinary mud into fantastical creatures. First, they will create their mud using soil and water before molding it into the shape they want and adding natural items found in your outdoor space to bring their creation to life.
5	BED SHEET ART	Creativity	Art – exploring color	This engaging outdoor activity allows children to create a large-scale collaborative artwork inspired by nature. Using a bed sheet as their canvas, groups of students will work together to paint a masterpiece reflecting the wonders they see around them!
6	NATURE DENS	Communication	Science: materials and their properties – Design & Technology	In this exciting outdoor session, children will become creative builders! Working in small groups, they will use various materials like sticks, ropes, blankets, and canvas to design and construct their very own dens.
7	MEMORY SCAVENGER HUNT	Communication	Literacy – descriptive language	This activity is a fun and engaging way for students to practice observation skills, teamwork, and communication. Students will work in small groups to memorize a collection of natural objects after a short observation period.
8	WHERE AM I?	Communication	Literacy – descriptive language Science – senses	This activity encourages children to use clear descriptive language as well as focus on their senses. Students will work in pairs, with one child blindfolded.
9	HEDGEHOG SURVIVAL	Communication	Science – living things	This outdoor game gets children moving while learning about insects and the challenges faced by hedgehogs due to pesticides.
10	OPINION SCAVENGER HUNT	Communication	Science – living things Art – drawing	This outdoor scavenger hunt encourages children to explore their natural surroundings through observation, discussion, and creative representation. Working in pairs, they will find items in nature that match various descriptive prompts on a scavenger hunt sheet.

⭐ Bonus Lessons

#	Lesson	Theme	Curriculum Links	Summary
1	CIRCLE OF REFLECTION	Reflection	PSHE	The lesson then leads them to a quiet circle, where they take turns sharing their found treasures and answering reflective questions.
2	FOOD THIEF	Reflection	Science	“Food Thief” is a captivating lesson which blends the excitement of a blindfolded pursuit game with the stealth and silence observed in the natural world. Children will engage in a circle game where they are required to use their stealth to ‘steal’ food from a class mate,…
3	FEATHERED OWO FRIENDS	Reflection	Science, art, literacy	In this session your class will be transformed into little bird enthusiasts exploring the avian wonders around them.
4	SILENT EXPLORATION	General	Science, PSHE	“Silent Exploration” invites your class to go on a silent nature walk, giving them time to appreciate and focus on the outdoor environment. Children will practice walking quietly and explore alternative means of communication.
5	NATURE MANDELA	General	Art	This is a delightful outdoor lesson that invites your class to explore creativity and mindfulness by crafting mandalas using natural items found outside. The session incorporates a brief starter activity to introduce the concept of mandalas before they will use natural items to…
6	SARDINES	General	P.E, Science	In this week’s outdoor lesson, your class will play the game commonly known as ‘Sardines.’ The classic game takes on a wild twist as children explore the concept of hiding from predators and the importance of camouflage in the animal kingdom. The session promotes independence as …
7	MINI-BEAST HUNT	General	Science, art	They’ll use magnifying glasses and ID sheets to find and observe different creatures, then draw what they spot on their record sheets. It’s a great way to build observation skills and encourage curiosity about nature.
8	PITFALL TRAPS	General	Science	In this session your class will become entomologists for a day. Your children will create pitfall traps using small containers to discover and observe insects, fostering independence and a hands-on connection with the tiny creatures around them.
9	DIY BIRD FEEDER	General	Science	In this session, your class will become backyard chefs, creating bird feeders to attract and nourish feathered visitors.