Barriers to Outdoor Learning in Early Years Settings: A Case Study from Portsmouth, England

Abstract

Outdoor learning and connection to nature are increasingly recognised as central to children’s wellbeing and to the development of pro-environmental values. This paper explores the barriers to implementing outdoor-based curricula in Early Years settings within Portsmouth, UK—an urban coastal city with high deprivation levels and unequal access to green space. Early childhood is a period of profound curiosity, exploration, and sensory engagement; yet for many children, opportunities to experience the natural world are increasingly constrained by modern lifestyles, curriculum pressures, and environmental inequalities. Drawing on a qualitative design, data were collected through online questionnaires, setting observations, and environmental audits across seven Early Years settings. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was used to identify recurring themes related to practitioner beliefs, environmental conditions, and curriculum demands.

Findings reveal a strong professional commitment to outdoor learning but also significant challenges that restrict its practice. Pressures linked to curriculum outcomes, practitioner confidence, workforce instability, and physical access to quality outdoor environments all shaped the extent to which outdoor learning was realised. The study argues that outdoor education in the Early Years should be recognised not only as a pedagogical approach but as an ethical and ecological imperative. Supporting practitioners through training, leadership, and policy structures is essential to sustain meaningful connections between children and the natural world.