Little Monkeys Nursery × Love Outdoor Learning
At the end of 2020, Little Monkeys Nursery, which operates three settings across Edinburgh, began its journey into outdoor learning. Like many early years settings, they were exploring how to deepen children’s connection with nature and expand learning beyond the indoor environment.
It was during this exploration that they discovered Love Outdoor Learning and began what would become a sustained, whole-team partnership.
Chelsea, Outdoor Learning Coordinator at Little Monkeys, reflects on those early steps:
“I came across Love Outdoor Learning who, from day one, gave their utmost support. Carol offered her advice and came out to all three of our nurseries so she was able to get a good feel for how she could support us on our way forward.”
Starting with the whole team; building confidence together
From the outset, the focus was on building consistency and confidence across all three nurseries, not just through leadership, but through every practitioner working directly with children.
Love Outdoor Learning provided a flexible support package, including regular planning meetings, ongoing advice, and on-demand support for the full team, not just management. This ensured that outdoor learning development was embedded across settings rather than held in isolation.
Chelsea highlights the value of this approach:
“Carol is extremely knowledgeable in the outdoor learning field and is always at the end of the phone should you ever need a little advice or reassurance that you are on the right path.”
Quarterly meetings were used to co-create block plans, linking outdoor experiences to early years curriculum areas through practical, play-based learning. These sessions ensured staff had clear, adaptable ideas they felt confident delivering across all three sites.
At the heart of the work was a shared belief that strong relationships and consistent support are key to meaningful change across early years settings.
“The staff team feel that everyone at Love Outdoor Learning are very professional, Carol and the team make everyone feel respected and comfortable as she supports and guides the team forward.”
At a Glance – Whole-School Impact
- 100% of settings engaged in outdoor learning development work
- Consistent outdoor learning routines introduced across all nurseries
- Increased practitioner confidence in delivering outdoor experiences
- Outdoor learning embedded as part of daily practice, not occasional activity
- Stronger links between play, nature, and early curriculum areas
Qualitative Impact
Across the three nurseries, staff report a clear shift in both confidence and culture. Outdoor learning is no longer seen as an “extra,” but as a natural extension of how children learn and develop.
Key Shifts Observed:
- Children showing increased curiosity, imagination, and independence outdoors
- Calmer, more focused behaviour in outdoor environments
- Stronger engagement across all areas of learning through play-based exploration
- Staff growing in confidence to adapt and extend learning outdoors in real time
- Outdoor spaces being used daily as active learning environments rather than fixed play areas
Training, Planning and Practical Support
Through ongoing collaboration, Love Outdoor Learning supported the team with:
- Block planning across all curriculum areas in early years practice
- Practical outdoor activity ideas tailored to each nursery site
- Staff confidence-building through shared planning and reflection
- Support in linking outdoor play to early developmental outcomes
- Flexible guidance accessible to the whole team, not just leadership
This consistent, hands-on support helped ensure that outdoor learning became embedded in everyday routines across all three nurseries.
Outdoor learning supports all children to learn and develop holistically
From early exploration in 2020 to established practice across three Edinburgh nurseries, Little Monkeys Nursery has developed a confident and consistent approach to outdoor learning.
Outdoor learning is now embedded into daily routines, supporting children’s development, wellbeing, and curiosity. It is no longer something additional or occasional, but a natural part of how children learn and grow.
“Outdoor learning provides a fascinating, exciting yet calm environment which supports all children to learn and develop holistically. Supporting our children to learn about the forest and natural environments around us from an early age allows imaginations to run freely. This supports learning and gives the children lifelong respect for our natural habitat for many generations to come.
With the support of Love Outdoor Learning, we are achieving a remarkable outdoor learning environment for our children to happily learn, develop and most importantly have fun in, as we leave our site each day leaving only footprints and memories! We couldn’t recommend Love outdoor learning enough!”
