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Outdoors can beat the indoors for learning, conference is told

The outdoors is capable of delivering benefits to children's learning that no amount of high-quality indoor provision can match - that was the key message at Nursery World's Outdoor Play and Learning conference.

The event, held in London last week and attended by 170 delegates, focused on the potential of outdoor learning, its principles and best practice.

Keynote speaker Wendy Titman, who has gained a worldwide reputation in creating 'enabling environments' for young children, said, 'The concept of children having easy access to external environments of quality in which to spend significant periods of time seemed to disappear over time.

'These days, even those working within the early years sector haven't heard of Margaret McMillan, who founded nursery schools on the belief that being outdoors was essential to children's healthy growth and development.'

Julian Grenier, head of Kate Greenaway Nursery School and Children's Centre in London, said that young children 'feel life in every limb, and that should be our starting point.'

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