Active outdoor play

Dr Helen Little

Dr Helen Little is a Senior Lecturer of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Educational Studies, Macquarie University, where she teaches units on child development, outdoor learning and professional experience. Prior to this, she was an early childhood teacher with experience teaching in preschools and primary schools in Sydney. Her research examines individual, social and environmental factors that influence children’s risk-taking behaviour in outdoor play. Helen’s current work is focused on how the physical features of the outdoor environment and teaching practices impact children’s experiences of risk-taking in play. She is an acknowledged author and her most recent publication, Outdoor learning environments: Spaces for exploration, discovery and risk-taking in the early years, provides an Australian perspective on outdoor learning. Helen is also currently the Early Childhood Australia representative on the Standards Australia Committee for Playgrounds and Play Equipment.