Early years practitioners and teachers are no strangers to providing for a wide range of needs. ‘Enabling’ is a key word in outdoor provision and choices come from really knowing your space, your resources, your children and your staff.
Respect for individuals and the way their needs are met is intrinsic to outdoor play. The joys of the outside world are not to be hurried, and outdoors, children with special needs can explore and enjoy and discover at their own pace. Their needs can be met and their expectations exceeded with access to a rich outdoor area full of irresistible stimuli and contexts for play. Exploration and communication, contact with the natural world and with the community are achievable goals.
Outdoor learning has to be available to the children in a way they can access and by keeping in mind what they would like to be able to do, the outdoors can become a creative place for adventure with different ways of meeting children’s needs that will inspire and motivate.
With appropriate clothing, equipment, staff and shelter from the elements, all children can experience the changing seasons, expand their understanding of their world and enjoy it to the full whatever the weather and whatever their needs.
Activities in the grounds can simultaneously encourage the development of physical skills, the building of confidence by exploration of the environment and the acquisition of social skills through learning to participate and share with others.
Many of the principles involved in designing school grounds apply equally to mainstream and special schools. However there are specific requirements that need addressing to ensure that the outdoor environment is accessible to all. Poor access results in denied opportunities, increased risks of accidents and enforced dependency on others.
Physical activity is fundamental to children’s’ development, but children with special needs often have fewer opportunities to participate in outdoor activities. The school grounds can host outdoor pursuits traditionally provided through off-site visits, and specialised play equipment can provide new challenges for pupils with physical disabilities.
Sensory exploration can teach such skills as investigation, problem solving and communication. A separate sensory area within the grounds might be provided, but sensory elements can also be built into the overall design of the grounds e.g. paths with different textures, planting with changing colours or scents, tactile signage, moving sculptures or musical elements.
Many children with special needs particularly benefit from learning through doing. Providing them with opportunities to undertake practical activities outside can be of great benefit, and teachers often say that such children thrive when lessons are taken outside. | 
