Puoli päivää pihalla Activity

Cartoon children running outside toward a multitude of possible outdoor activities

Puoli päivää pihalla (half a day outside) activity is early childhood education and care outdoor activity, hiking and making good use of surrounding areas in learning. The aim of the Puoli päivää pihalla (half a day outside) activities is to strengthen a sustainable and active lifestyle for children.

The Puoli päivää pihalla project was a three-year project (1.8.2020-31.7.2023) that has offered tools, training courses, materials, and methods for outdoor education to daycare centres. A total of 72 daycare centres in Oulu participated. Together with them outdoor activities have been developed quantitatively and qualitatively specific to each daycare centre.  

The project has offered training courses and events, also to private daycare centres and family day care providers. 

Puoli päivää pihalla activity guides early childhood education and care working culture towards increased exercise, outdoor learning, and outdoor education by reinforcing the daycare staff’s pedagogical skills outdoors and by creating new conditions.  

Puoli päivää pihalla activity is listed as a point of focus in Oulu’s Education and Culture Services’s education programme, early childhood education and care strategy, as well as the early childhood education and care plan, and the preschool curriculum.  

Daycare Centre Exercise Organizer 

An exercise organizer is appointed to each daycare centre who acts as a contact person between the early childhood exercise coordinator and the daycare staff. Additionally, the exercise organizer maintains and inspires exercise activities in their own daycare centre. 

Early childhood exercise is coordinated by an exercise coordinator who acts as an exercise expert and coordinator. Oulu’s early childhood education and care participates in the national exercise and well-being programme’s development work.  

Aims of Puoli päivää pihalla Activity 

  • Searching and creating new conditions in daycare centres’ surrounding areas 

  • Learning to make versatile use of different learning environments 

  • Transferring pedagogical learning outside 

  • Reinforcing the staff’s skills and positive atmosphere as well as introducing nature as a part of the daycare centre’s daily activities by offering versatile practical training courses 

  • Ensuring that every child has access to outdoor activities, exercise, and the joy of exercise and learning every day 

  • Encouraging families toward outdoor exercise and organizing family exercise events in regions 

More information:

Coordinator Tarja Kuusisto, tel. 050 341 2857, tarja.kuusisto@ouka.fi