Hi, both
EYFS framework (if you work in England) and
development matters detail enabling environments.
For an environment to be enabling, characteristics are seen as being
'rich', they mean they'll be assessed for hazards/risks, be thoughtfully laid out so that they are inclusive, accessible and meet children's basic needs.
These characteristics are from the
childcare and education handbook
Characteristics of an enabling indoor environment
- room design
- safety
- places for rest and sleep
- age appropriate resources
- attractive presentation and tidying up
- displays and interest tables
- variety of activities
- language rich environment
- importance of mathematics is recognised
characteristics of an enabling outdoor play environment
- accessible
- child-centered
- space for exercise
- checked for hazards
- have opportunities for all learning areas with additional consideration for mathematics
- safety - sun protection
The Work based level 3 handbook explores outdoor environments on pages 209-210 and
indoor environments on page 211-213.
The Practical Preschool book lists characteristics of an Enabling Environment in Early Year as:
The outdoor environment
- Freedom and space
- Staff deployment and ratios
- The weather
- Accessibility
- Promoting outdoor play to staff and parents
- Storage
- Risk taking and safety
- Small outdoor space
- No outdoor space
- Sustainability
- Boundaries
- Large play equipment
- Dens
- Outdoor role play
- Babies outdoors
- The seven areas of learning outdoors
The indoor environment
- An environment that meets each child’s basic needs
- Utilising space
- Maximising your corridors
- Storage
- Health and safety
- Displays
- Planned and unplanned changes to the environment
- Supporting parents to develop enabling home environments
- The seven areas of learning indoors
Sample pages
This is how the OLD EYFS 2008 3.3 card explained the indoor and outdoor environments
Observation, Assessment and Planning
Supporting Every Child
The Learning Environment
The wider Context
The outdoor environment- Being outdoors has a positive impact on children’s sense of well-being and helps all aspects of children’s development.
- Being outdoors offers opportunities for doing things in different ways and on different scales than when indoors.
- It gives children first-hand contact with weather, seasons and the natural world.
- Outdoor environments offer children freedom to explore, use their senses, and be physically active and exuberant.
The indoor environment- The indoor environment provides a safe, secure yet challenging space for children.
- For some children, the indoor environment is like a second home, providing a place for activity, rest, eating and sleeping.
- The indoor environment contains resources which are appropriate, well maintained and accessible for all children.
- Indoor spaces are planned so that they can be used flexibly and an appropriate range of activities is provided.
Hth
enabling play environment
& 
Linear Mode
