Transforming Outdoor Classrooms into Sensory Play Spaces!

Outdoor classrooms are an integral part of modern educational practices, especially in nurseries and EYFS environments. They offer children an environment that fosters exploration, creativity, and learning beyond the traditional classroom setting.

When designed with children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in mind, outdoor classrooms can become an even more powerful tool.

By transforming these spaces into sensory play areas using sensory play equipment, educators can enhance the learning experience for children with varying abilities. Sensory play spaces are not only educational but also therapeutic, helping children with SEN develop vital skills in a way that feels natural, engaging, and safe.

In this blog, we will explore how outdoor classrooms can be transformed into sensory-rich environments for children with SEN, focusing on how sensory playground equipment products from Pentagon Play and sensory features like Sensory Spinners, Coloured Windows, and Sensory Play Panels can help create an ideal learning space.

We will also discuss why these environments are so beneficial and how they can provide opportunities for children to explore their senses in an exciting and safe setting.

Why Sensory Play Matters for Children with SEN

Sensory play is any activity that stimulates a child’s senses—touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell. For children with SEN, sensory play can be an essential part of their development.

Many children with SEN, such as those with autism or sensory processing disorders, may struggle with sensory overload or under-stimulation. Creating a sensory-friendly space, like an outdoor classroom, allows these children to interact with their environment in ways that support their sensory needs.

Benefits of Sensory Play in Outdoor Classrooms:

• Supports Emotional Regulation: Many children with SEN experience difficulties with emotional regulation. Sensory play can help them calm down and refocus. Engaging with nature and tactile objects can provide soothing stimuli that help children manage feelings of anxiety or frustration.
• Enhances Cognitive Development: Outdoor sensory play engages children in hands-on learning, which supports cognitive development. Sensory activities can promote problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.
• Improves Motor Skills: Physical activities like climbing, running, or manipulating sensory objects help improve both fine and gross motor skills of children of all abilities. Outdoor classrooms offer ample opportunities for these types of movements.
• Fosters Social Skills: Sensory play often involves sharing and cooperative play, which encourages social interaction. This is particularly important for children with SEN, who may need additional support in developing social skills.
• Encourages Exploration and Independence: The natural world provides endless opportunities for exploration, allowing children to engage with their environment in an independent and safe way.

Creating a Sensory Play Space with Pentagon Play's Outdoor Classrooms

Pentagon Play specialises in designing and building outdoor classrooms that are not only durable and weather-resistant but also customisable to meet the needs of children with SEN.

Our outdoor classrooms are designed with safety, exploration, and sensory development in mind. By incorporating sensory features into the design of an outdoor classroom, schools and nurseries can ensure that children with SEN have a space that is both exciting and supportive of their unique learning needs.

Durability and Weather Resistance

One of the primary concerns for outdoor classrooms is durability. Children are naturally curious and adventurous, which means their outdoor play equipment needs to stand up to both the weather and the wear and tear of everyday use.

Pentagon Play's outdoor classrooms are made from high-quality materials designed to withstand all weather conditions, ensuring that the sensory elements within the space remain functional and attractive year-round. This durability means that children can engage with the sensory elements in their outdoor classrooms without worrying about damage or safety risks.

Whether it’s raining, windy, or sunny, the sensory features within the space will continue to provide engaging experiences. For example, Sensory Spinners, which offer tactile and visual stimulation, remain functional in all conditions. Even elements like Coloured Windows and Sensory Panels remain vibrant and accessible regardless of the weather.

Incorporating Sensory Features into Outdoor Classrooms

Pentagon Play's outdoor classrooms can be customised to include sensory features that support children with SEN. These features not only enhance the aesthetics of the space but also provide crucial opportunities for children to engage with their senses. Below are some key sensory elements to incorporate:

1. Sensory Spinners

Our Sensory Spinners (Drawing, Light, Sound, and Touch Spinners) are an excellent addition to any outdoor classroom. They engage children with sight, touch, and sometimes even sound. As children spin these devices, they learn about cause and effect, fine motor skills, and spatial awareness.

The spinning motion provides a calming effect for some children, offering a soothing sensory experience. Pentagon Play’s Sensory Spinners are designed to be sturdy and safe, allowing children to explore them in a playful yet therapeutic way.

2. Coloured Windows and Panels

The inclusion of Coloured Windows and Panels in our outdoor classrooms (Sensory Seating Circle, Sensory 5M Hexagonal Gazebo, Sensory Arbour, and Sensory Tunnels) helps children with SEN engage with visual sensory experiences. These Windows and Panels can be installed in various shades, providing a stimulating visual environment that children can explore.

The varying colours and transparency levels of the Windows and Panels can also help children with visual impairments or sensory processing difficulties engage more fully with the classroom environment. It’s also a great way to create a visually stimulating space that encourages observation and curiosity.

3. Sensory Panels

Pentagon Plays Sensory Panels are an effective way to incorporate tactile play into an outdoor classroom. These textured Panels can be placed along pathways or as part of the structure of the outdoor classroom.

Children can explore different textures with their feet or hands, learning about rough, smooth, soft, or bumpy surfaces. This sensory experience helps them build their tactile awareness and fine motor skills.

Our Sensory Panels are made from materials that are easy to clean and highly durable, ensuring that the space remains safe and functional for long-term use.

4. Interactive Water Features

Water is a powerful sensory tool. Pentagon Play can provide water features that allow children to engage with this element safely. Whether it’s a simple Water Table, a sensory Water Wall, or one of our Water Play Packages, the inclusion of water play in outdoor classrooms provides children with the opportunity to engage with touch and sound in a natural way. This can be especially soothing for children who need calming stimuli.

5. Nature-Based Sensory Features

Sensory play doesn’t always have to be created from man-made elements. A well-designed outdoor classroom can incorporate the natural world as part of the sensory experience. Incorporating our 5M Hexagonal Secret Garden Gazebo, Planters, or Wildlife Area into your outdoor classroom environment would be ideal resources to enhance sensory learning. 

For example, scented plants like lavender or mint can stimulate a child’s sense of smell, while trees and bushes can create tactile experiences when children explore the leaves or bark. A sensory garden allows children to connect with nature in a way that stimulates all of their senses in a natural environment.

6. Climbing and Balancing Equipment

For children who need to develop their motor skills, climbing and balancing equipment provides an excellent sensory challenge. These activities engage proprioception (sense of body movement) and vestibular (sense of balance) input, helping children with SEN improve coordination and spatial awareness.

Pentagon Play’s outdoor classrooms can include custom-designed Climbing Walls, Balance Beams, and Sensory Climbing Structures that help children engage with their physical senses in a fun and safe way.

Sensory Play Ideas and Recommendations for SEN Children

Here are some practical sensory play ideas that can be incorporated into outdoor classrooms to engage children with SEN:

• Sound Exploration with Chimes: Pentagon Play has a fantastic range of Chimes. By Installing Chimes in your outdoor classroom, the sound produced when a child interacts with the Chimes can stimulate auditory senses and encourage children to listen attentively to their environment.
• Nature Hunts: Organise a nature hunt where children look for different textures, colours, or sounds in the environment. This encourages exploration and helps children develop their sensory awareness.
• Mud Kitchens: Mud Kitchens are a fantastic way to engage children in tactile and messy play. They encourage creativity, imagination, and fine motor skills as children create mud pies, soups, and other imaginary concoctions. Pentagon Play has a wonderful range of Mud Kitchens that can encourage all budding Gordon Ramseys to get creative outside!
• Bubble Play: Bubbles provide both visual and tactile sensory stimulation. Children can chase them, pop them, or simply observe the colours and movements as they float through the air.
• Textured Pathways: Create pathways made of different textures, such as gravel, sand, and wood. These tactile pathways give children an opportunity to explore different textures underfoot, which can help develop their sense of touch.
• Animal-Themed Sensory Exploration: Use animal footprints, sounds, or toys to create a sensory-rich environment. Children can touch, smell, and listen to different animal-themed items that spark their curiosity and sensory exploration.

Conclusion: A Safe and Stimulating Learning Environment for All

Outdoor classrooms designed for children with SEN can be transformative spaces that offer not only an engaging environment for sensory play but also a calming, therapeutic experience.

By using durable, weather-resistant products from Pentagon Play and integrating sensory features like Sensory Spinners, Coloured Windows and Panels, and Textured Panels, these outdoor classrooms can become vital learning hubs for children with special needs.

Sensory play allows children to explore the world around them in a way that’s safe, engaging, and tailored to their needs. With the right design and thoughtful integration of sensory elements, an outdoor classroom can be a space where children with SEN thrive, developing their emotional, cognitive, social, and motor skills.

By creating these dynamic sensory environments, educators and caregivers can offer children with SEN the opportunity to explore their senses in an exciting and supportive way, ultimately enhancing their learning experience and overall well-being.