Adventure education involves learning through activities that push students out of their comfort zones and involve an element of risk, while outdoor education refers to learning that takes place outdoors without an emphasis on risk. Adventure education is important for children's development as it helps them build interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness through experiences facilitated outside of a traditional classroom setting. Expectancy theory also supports adventure education by suggesting that students will work harder to achieve outcomes they expect if they value those outcomes.

1. Adventure Education or Outdoor Education?
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What is Adventure Education?
Simply put it is learning through an adventure! An adventure is
described as something that could cause risk to oneself or
involves a certain aspect of danger (Ritson,2016).
Adventure education needs to push you out of your comfort
zone to be effective as well as having a clear purpose
(Hodgson and Berry, 2011).
However outdoor education is purely learning in or about the
outdoors IE taking a planned lesson outside.
Pond dipping
We used small nets to dip in the
pond and see what insects we could
find.
Brushing the horses
We learnt about the safety of walking around the
horses and how to brush them gently. We then used
a brush to carefully brush the horses from their head
to their tail. The horses could spook easily so we
also learnt about the importance of talking quietly
around them.
Scarecrow making
We had to collect the hay and straw and then use
it to stuff clothes. Then we had to put them
together to make a person.
Walking up the hill
We had to walk up a long hill to get to the farm. We
walked in two holding hands and wearing Hi-Vis
jackets.
Blindfolded walking
We worked with a partner for this task. One child
was blindfolded and the other child had to lead
them to a specific place in the farm, leading them
over steps and different textures under foot, as well
as round obstacles.
Petting farm
We went into the petting farm
where the goats roam free. This
meant that they were at eye level
for lots of the children. The goats like to jump up
and nudge people to get their food. This was quite
frightening for some children.
A Guide for Practitioners
Adventure Education - Links to EYFS
(Early Education, 2012. DfE. 2017)
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Understanding the WorldCommunication and Language
Expressive Arts and Design
Mathematics
Expectancy Theory
Expectancy theory is based on how participants expect a certain outcome from an
activity and the value they give to that particular outcome (Ewert and Sibthorp, 2014). If
participants expect that they will achieve a certain outcome they are more likely to work
harder to accomplish it. The expectations can be categorised as avoidances, antecedents
and actual benefits (Ewert, 1989).
The United Nations Conventions on the rights of the child
(Unicef,1989) Article 31 states: Every child has the right to relax,
play and take part in a wide range of cultural and artistic activities.
Why is Adventure Education important for Children?
It develops their relationships with others (interpersonal) and
with themselves (intrapersonal). It also develops their
emotional intelligence and increases their personal
awareness with regards to their own behaviour as well as
others reactions to their behaviour (Ritson, 2016).

2. Bibliography
Department for Education (DfE), (2017) Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. DfE,
London.
Early Education, (2012) Development Matters in the Early Year Foundation Stage. Early Education, London.
Ewert, A. (1989) Outdoor Adventure Pursuits: Foundations, Models and Theories. Publishing Horizons INC:
Ohio
Ewert, A. and Sibthorp, J. (2014) Outdoor Adventure Education: Foundations, Theory and Research. Human
Kinetics: Leeds.
Hodgson, C. and Berry, M. (2011) ‘Introduction’, in Berry, M. and Hodgson, C. (ed) Adventure Education.
Routledge: London.
Ritson, L. (2016) Adventure Education. Routledge: Oxon.
Unicef. (1989) The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child. Unicef: London.
N.B All pictures authors own.
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3. Student ID 1706706 3
Verbal Bibliography
Fairclough, M. (2016) Playing with Fire. John Catt Educational Ltd: Woodbridge.
Hodgson, C. and Bailie, M. (2011) ‘Risk Management: Philosophy and Practise’ in Berry, M. and Hodgson, C. (ed) Adventure
Education. Routledge: London