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• Understand the value of outdoor experiences.
• Provide a physically safe environment outdoors.

Spending time outside is important for you and baby – fresh air, sunshine, and a little bit of rain or wind lets them experience the natural world.

• A change of scene may also help to keep you refreshed and to be more relaxed and in tune with baby.
• Having some fun that includes interesting experiences together every day is a great way to keep building your healthy relationship with baby.

Many adventures can be had just by going out and touching the trees, grass and flowers; feeling the wind and seeing the sky and clouds; or looking for birds, butterflies, caterpillars and snails.

Ask participants to talk with another person about the following:

• What is your baby doing now, especially with their motor development?
• What has changed recently?
• What have you had to do in response?

If you’re lucky enough to have an outside area or garden, then look around to see what’s there.

If you don’t have a backyard, is there someone else’s garden that you could spend some time in, or is there a park or beach nearby?

Think about an outside area that you take baby to, and discuss as a group or in pairs:

• Is there a place where baby can be on the ground or grass?
• Is there a shady place for hot sunny days?
• What might be in reach when baby starts crawling?
• What plants are nearby?
• What do you know about poisonous plants?
• Where might you find out about them?
• Is there cat, dog or bird poo around, or has there been in the past?
• Is it safely fenced off?
• Do you need to think about gates?
• Is the play space safe from the driveway?
• Are there any water containers around that could be dangerous for baby?

If possible, go outside with the group and look around:

• What might baby like to see?

Take baby to have a look at and touch some leaves and flowers.

• What sort of fencing and gates are nearby, and would they help keep a baby or toddler safe?
• Is the driveway separate from where children could be playing?
• When is the last time you lay down on the grass or ground and looked at the sky?

Now that you’ve been outside, ask participants to think about:

• how it felt to be outside
• how you’re feeling now
• what you noticed about your baby when they were outside
• what other places you could take your baby to visit.