Transforming Outdoor Spaces for Learning and Play

In this edition of the LINC Blog, Fiona Patrice Danagher shares how her team transformed an underused storage shed and outdoor space into a vibrant, child-led learning environment. With support from a Better Start Quality Early Years Specialist and the involvement of staff, families and the children themselves, Fiona brought a creative vision to life. The result is a space that encourages imagination, curiosity and inclusive outdoor play, rain or shine. From pirate adventures to music walls, mud kitchens to fairy-lit corners, this inspiring project shows the value of collaboration, resourcefulness and play-based learning in the early years.

‘Not all classrooms have four walls.’ – Margaret McMillan

As a recently appointed manager, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a Better Start Quality Early Years Specialist at my facility to enhance and develop our outdoor play area. We are fortunate to possess a vast open green space with immense potential for improvement, along with a large storage shed adjacent to the playground. Observing this space on a rainy day, a common occurrence in Ireland, sparked an idea: transforming part of the storage shed into an outdoor learning space. The shed, divided into two sections, housed tools and a collection of unused items including paint tins, broken garden furniture, toys, and old Christmas decorations. 

Inspired by this vision, we embarked on the project to repurpose one room in the shed into a learning space, expanding the outdoor play area for the children. Collaborating with the Better Start Specialist, I discussed layout and floorplan ideas. We enlisted the help of staff, including maintenance personnel from the family resource centre, to clear out the shed. With a timeline of six months, the maintenance team painted the walls in vibrant colours after clearing out the clutter. 

During the clean-up, the children were captivated by the activity, with the maintenance team even referring to their findings as “buried treasure,” igniting the children’s imaginations. Incorporating the discovery into our curriculum, we introduced lessons on maps and pirates, fostering creativity and role-playing among the children. 

With the shed cleared, we implemented my vision. The space was transformed into a bright, creative, and inviting environment, featuring distinct areas such as a reading corner, sandpit, compost pit, sensory tent, water/mud kitchen, and a large blackboard painted on one of the walls using blackboard paint. Outside, we established music walls, a vegetable garden, a hopscotch area, a drawing space with clear Perspex, a construction area with tyres and stones, and a Dodie Tree. 

Utilising natural resources and recycled materials, as suggested by the Better Start Specialist, further enhanced the shed and outdoor areas as we created play provocations. The music wall, for instance, was crafted from painted hubcaps donated by a child’s father who worked as a mechanic. Other parents contributed decorations and fairies for our Dodie Tree, along with old pots and pans, tyres, and pipes. 

In the final stages of decorating, the children participated by leaving their handprints on the walls using bright colours. Soft furnishings were added, and the ceiling adorned with fairy lights, creating a cosy atmosphere. The new outdoor learning space accommodates a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities, providing children the freedom to choose their preferred play. 

The addition of the outdoor learning space proved to be a welcoming and beneficial addition to the play area. Utilising natural resources encourages children to release energy, express emotions, and think creatively. This project fostered a sense of community and partnership with parents, with both adults and children actively participating and enjoying the process. The support received from the community and colleagues was invaluable, and I am immensely grateful. Seeing my creative designs come to life was deeply fulfilling, and the collaboration with the Better Start Specialist proved invaluable. I highly recommend similar projects to those with the space and resources, as they offer a worthwhile team-building experience. Looking ahead, our green area holds further potential for development, and I eagerly anticipate our next project in creating a sensory garden. 

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