16 Types of Play for Your Outdoor Classroom Experience

Are you an adult who has forgotten how to PLAY? Are you so busy that you find yourself pushing your own playtime to the bottom of the list? Or do you believe PLAY is only for young children? As you may know already, each new year I choose a word, saying, and/or mantra that is meant to inspire and focus my attention on an area that I want to explore. Yup! You guessed it. We are venturing into the power of nature-based play in 2021! We will explore how educators can add playtime to their own lives in conjunction with how to apply playful learning into the Outdoor Classroom experience. 

The Playful Classroom by Jed Dearbury and Julie Jones includes the 16 Types of Play, based on the work of B. Hughes (2002). Understanding the foundation of play sets the stage and a framework that will allow for deeper exploration.  

The 16 Types of Play and how children may use them in an Outdoor Classroom include:

1. SYMBOLIC: Learners use objects to stand for another object. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may use mud to create mud pies and leaves as cake decorations.
2. ROUGH AND TUMBLE: Learner uses physical interactions as part of their play. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may play large running games in a large field. 
3. SOCIO-DRAMATIC: Learners use the enactment of real-life scenarios. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may make a restaurant in the Mud Kitchen. 
4. CREATIVE: Learners explore, make things, and develops ideas. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may use nature’s loose parts to create artistic creations. 
5. SOCIAL:  Learners play games where rules are applied. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may play tic, tac, toe with nature’s loose parts and/or makeup games with their own rules.  
6. COMMUNICATION: Learners play using words, songs, and rhymes. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may play within a Word Garden.
7. DRAMATIC: Learners dramatize events in which they have not participated. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may enjoy performing on an outdoor stage. 
8. LOCOMOTOR: Learners use movement, dance, games in their play. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may enjoy the outdoor stage for dance, a large field for movement games, and/or a handful of movement transition games from inside to out.
9. IMAGINATIVE: Learners use pretend play and use real things as other things. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may use a stick as a wand and/or enjoy the wonder of Miniature Gardens. 
10. EXPLORATORY: Learners explore objects and space through the senses. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may enjoy smelling herbs in a Sensory Garden. 
11. FANTASY: Learners take on roles that would not happen in real life. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may enjoy dressing up and enjoying a performance space outdoors.
12. DEEP: Learners are driven more by mood rather than activities. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may enjoy a “Sit Spot” where they can listen and observe nature; along with journaling activities. 
13. MASTERY: Leaners takes control of the environment. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may enjoy creating Water Walls and Marble Mazes.. 
14. OBJECT: Learners explore items using their senses. In an Outdoor Classroom, objects that children interact with include natural loose parts: rocks, stones, leaves. 
15. ROLE: Learners take on a different role in their play. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may become a musician and create an entire orchestra at the Music Wall. 
16. RECAPITULATIVE: Play where learners might explore history rituals and myths. In an Outdoor Classroom, children may explore the history of the land they are standing on.  

Victoria