Assessing Outdoor Play

06/02/2010

A knife will not cut it's own handle.
Persian Proverb

Here are some ways to assess children in your care as they play outdoors. These ideas are in the article, "Conducting Informal Developmental Assessments," by Craig Gibson, Sandra Jones, and Tamika Patrick in the latest issue of Exchange Magazine (May/June 2010):

Is the child's play reciprocal? (observing social-emotional and communication skills)
Does the child participate in turn-taking activities like kicking a ball back and forth? (social-emotional)
Is the child able to run, jump, kick, throw, skip, gallop, etc. while maintaining his balance? (gross motor)
Is the child able to catch the ball by trapping it between her arms and chest? (gross motor)
Is the child able to climb playground equipment while maintaining his balance? (gross motor)

Guidebook on Developing Outdoor Play Spaces

Natural Playscapes: Creating Outdoor Play Environments for the Soul is an inspiring, yet practical resource on bringing outdoor playspaces to life. It describes how children relate to the natural world, gives many examples from around the world of how early childhood professionals and parents have planned and constructed natural playscapes. Included are blueprints, step by step instructions, and tip sheets such as "20 Ways to Create Natural Playscapes," and "15 Free or Low-Cost Things to Enrich Your Playscapes."

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