As an organisation SCMA has thrown its weight behind a commitment to the
Outdoor Play and Learning Position Statement from Inspiring Scotland.
The statement reads:
“We must not underestimate the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people. Outdoor play and learning can play a significant role in restoring children’s health and wellbeing.
“There has never been a more important time for us to work together to support and enable all of Scotland’s children and young people to access our diverse greenspaces and natural landscapes and to empower them to enjoy these spaces for the purposes of playing and learning.”
Childminders have always been true advocates and leaders in terms of promoting the benefits of outdoor play, enabling children to learn from the world around them, nature and the wide variety of learning experiences that being outdoors brings.
In particular, the photos and stories shared during Childminding Week 2021 last week demonstrate how childminders find innovative and exciting ways for their minded children to play and learn in the great outdoors – and this further highlights the benefits of outdoor play for children and the key role that childminders in Scotland play.
The Outdoor Play and Learning Position Statement from Inspiring Scotland also states: “Playing outdoors enhances learning and is fundamental for children and young people to thrive in health, wellbeing and development.”
“It is our shared responsibility to support and enable all of Scotland’s children and young people to access our diverse greenspaces and natural landscapes and to empower them to enjoy these spaces for the purposes of playing and learning. We commit to working together to meet these responsibilities.” – and SCMA fully supports this on-going commitment. The full statement can be found
here.
Childminding services were able to stay open during COVID-19 more than any other form of childcare due to the lower risk of transmitting infection in our small settings – and access to outdoor play opportunities played a key role in supporting children’s learning, development and wellbeing during this challenging time.
By supporting the relaunch of Scotland's National Outdoor Play and Learning Position Statement, SCMA is renewing our commitment, raising awareness and inspiring action – and we hope that thousands of childminders across Scotland will help to inspire action.
“We will work together to embed playing and learning outdoors as an everyday activity and we will celebrate it as a fundamental part of growing up in Scotland.”
Add your support to Outdoor Play and Learning in Scotland
Read the Outdoor Play and Learning Position Statement
Read about Outdoor Play learning opportunities from Learn with SCMA
Watch our STEM in Action video which showcases outdoor play
#OutdoorCoalition #NeverMoreNeeded #CheerforChildminding #ChangingtheNarrative