Abstract:

This study emphasizes the importance of outdoor education and play with a specific focus on their positive influence on the development of children’s personality. Taking into concern the modern and digital age, in which children's needs and interests are changing, preferences are in the range of digital technologies. This leads to a deficit of outdoor activities which in turn undoubtedly benefit children's development. Digital devices have displaced nature walks and outdoor play. Given this reality, pedagogues’ attention should be oriented to optimizing the educational process in kindergartens in relation to increase the opportunities for learning and playing in outdoor environments in preschool children's life. Interests are focused on finding alternative activities that provoke curiosity, stimulate creativity and put children into an active position. In this context, outdoor education and play provide stimulating conditions that allow children to be active, creative and emotionally stable. The purpose of the study was to investigate the opinion of pedagogical professionals about outdoor education and play. The research was conducted by a survey method among preschool teachers in public and private kindergartens in Bulgaria. The findings mark out the perspectives in Bulgaria for learning and playing in outdoor environment which are in favour of the overall development of preschool children.

Keywords:

Outdoor environment, outdoor learning, outdoor play, preschool education.