1. Preparing The Environment/ Outdoor Play Area
Chapter 8

2. Outdoor Play Area
Kentucky (required) - 35 square feet for indoor space and square feet per child for outdoor space.
A well-planned play yard usually has empty space and a wheeled vehicle path.
The path should be wide enough and clear enough so children can see all areas of the play yard
Empty space should be located in the center of the yard

3. Outdoor Play Area
Equipment should be far enough apart so a child using one piece of equipment cannot touch a child using another piece of equipment
All equipment should be visible to the teacher from any spot in the yard.

4. Outdoor Play Area
Children should not have to walk through one area to get to another.
Between one-third and one-half of the yard should be used for play equipment and the remainder should be open space to allow for ease of movement.

5. Outdoor Play Area
Other factors to consider when planning an outdoor play yard:
Fencing Sandbox
Stationary Equipment Water
Landscaping Animal Shelter
Storage Shed Surfaces
Wheeled Toy Paths

6. Two types of fencing usually found in centers:
Fencing/Surfaces
Two types of fencing usually found in centers:
Chain link
Wood
Surfaces:
Grass- a portion of the play yard area should have grass
Under equipment- best material would be bark nuggets, shredded bark, or sand
A good cushion required 9 to 12 inches of loose material!

7. Landscaping
A well-landscaped play yard makes for pleasant surroundings.
To promote learning you could have trees, shrubs, and flowers in a variety of sizes, colors, and growing cycles! (This will ensure children will always have a seasonal plant to study and view
Make sure no plants are poisonous

8. Storage Shed
Tricycles, wagons, scooters, shovels, rakes, balls, plastic wading pools, and gardening tools are some items you would see.
Storage space should be arranged so children can return materials themselves.

9. Wheeled Toy Paths
A path that children can use to push or ride wheeled toys
Is key for two reasons:
1. Safety- path with one ways traffic
2. Protection of the outdoor play area- gives children a place to ride so they do not destroy grassy areas
The path should be joined to the storage shed

10. Stationary Equipment Examples- jungle gyms, slides, and tree houses
Place large pieces of stationary equipment in different corners of the play yard
For safety reasons space is also needed

11. Sandbox/Animal Shelter
Place sandboxes in shady areas so children are not at risk of sunburns.
Place a sandbox near a water source
If you do have animals make sure they have cages.
Place the cages where animals will be protected from wind, sun, and rain.

12. Elements of Safe Outdoor Play
S. Supervision of children in the outdoor play area
A. Age Appropriate equipment in the play area
F. Fall surfacing in the proper depth under equipment over four feet in height
E. Equipment maintenance

13. Definitions
Fall zone-the area around play equipment designed to ensure that children fall onto soft, rather than hard surfaces.
Appropriate shock absorbing materials- 9 inches of wood chips or shock absorbing rubber

14. What is the value of having a sensory rich outdoor area?