A table to show how child-centred outdoor provision can be shown to meet the demands of
SCAA’s “Desirable outcomes”
desirable outcomes –Outdoor provision	Personal & Social Development	Language & Literacy	Mathematics 	knowledge & understanding of the world	Physical Development	Creative development	
Large physical movement, challenging activities on large apparatus 					They use a range of small & large equipment & balancing & climbing apparatus, with increasing skill.”		
Self-servicing environment in which children select appropriate equipment.	“They demonstrate independence in selecting an activity or resources”			“They explore and select materials and equipment...”		“They use a widening range of materials, suitable tools, instruments & other resources to express ideas”	
Opportunities for large construction & potential for collaborative activity	“They work as part of a group and independently”		“They begin to use their developing mathematical understanding to solve practical problems.”	“Use skills such as cutting, joining, folding & building for a variety of purposes.”	“They handle appropriate tools, objects, construction & malleable materials with increasing control”	“Explore shape, form & space in two & three dimensions”	
Problem solving, & decision making, inc. construction, pulleys, composing games, & complex imaginative play	“They take turns and share fairly” 

(particularly relevant when playing games)	“They make up their own stories, & take part in role play with confidence”	“They begin to use their developing mathematical understanding to solve practical problems.”	“They explore and select materials and equipment...”
		“Through .... & imaginative play, they show an increasing ability to use their imagination, to listen & observe”	
Maths in a meaningful, practical context; inc size, shape & weight vocab (conceptual dev.)			“Children use mathematical language... to describe shape, position, size and quantity.”				
Opportunities to talk about their work with peers and with adults 	“They express their feelings”	“Children listen attentively, and talk about their experiences”		“They talk about their observations”			
Opportunities for literacy in a meaningful context, ie role play or construction, & inc. signs and symbols		“They use pictures, symbols, familiar words and letters to communicate meaning... & show awareness of diff. Purposes for writing”					
Opportunities to explore physical processes, change & transformation, inc effect of heat, cold, evaporation.				“They explore & recognise...events in the natural and man-made world and look closely at similarities, differences, patterns & change.”			
Opportunities for large scale art work, and self expression using a variety of resources both familiar  and new.					“Use skills such as cutting, joining, folding & building for a variety of purposes.”	“Children explore sound & colour, texture, shape, form & space, in two and three dimensions.”	
Opps for interaction with the natural world, to observe, plant & grow, and to gain understanding &  respect for living things	“They treat living things, property and their environment with care and concern.”			“They explore & recognise features of living things”