Our Nursery children have been taking part in 30 Days Wild this month, joining in with lots of random acts of wildness. This week we have been exploring the great outdoors, working together, Den Building!

Being outdoors offers many stimulating play opportunities. Soil and leaves, sticks and stones are ideal for children to manipulate and experiment with. There are interesting and unusual places to hide, climb and balance and a whole range of elements to encourage imaginative, challenging and creative play.

Den building allows children to interact with natural elements. They learn to manage and work as a team when occupied in den building. Learning to work together can be difficult at any age but den building can be a way of learning to cooperate as during this process they are often open to other children’s suggestions and learn from their mistakes. Free from adult control and constraints, a den is where a child can determine their own rules. It is a safe place, where the child is in charge and not adults. Having a sense of control and the ability to make decisions on their own helps a child gain in confidence and become more independent.