Using Tires Outdoors: Early Years Outdoors Learning

1. Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet
Using tyres outdoors
Do you want to develop your at just the right height for
outdoor provision, but have children and adults and firm walls
limited funds for doing so? for walking around. Simply line
Early Years Outdoors is
one of the subscription Settings across the UK are the prepared tyre with landscape
services from Learning fabric so that the edges go up
making great use of tyres as
through Landscapes, inside the tyre rims – as you fill
the UK’s national school a highly useful and versatile with soil the fabric will be held in
grounds and early years resource, and they’re free! place. The fabric will allow
outdoor play charity.
drainage and the tyre can be
It takes over 400 years for a tyre moved if it needs relocating.
For more information to break down in landfill and vast
about subscriptions, numbers are scrapped every year,
call 01962 845811. so tyre centres, contract hauliers,
farmers and agricultural en-
gineers (for large and very large
tyres) are usually very pleased to
supply nurseries and pre-schools
who ask them. In fact when a
nursery in West Sussex put a
request in their local newspaper,
The Early Years they were inundated with offers.
Outdoors Advice
Line is open Monday to When they recently held a
Friday all year round. network meeting everyone who
Contact our specialist came took away their own supply! Children will be fascinated to sow
team for advice on grass seeds, watching the daily
using, designing or
managing your space: Below are some of the ideas change as the seedlings emerge
Learning through Landscapes has and then grow into grass. When
Tel: seen in many settings across the it’s long, encourage children to
01962 845811 country. Not only do tyres have a cut the grass with scissors! The
Email: very wide range of uses and make grass will provide an ever-
member@ltl.org.uk popular resources for children’s changing landscape for small
outdoor play, you will be helping world play, perhaps for farm or
Web: to reduce man’s impact upon the wild animals.
www.ltl.org.uk
environment and giving young
children relevant experience of Tyres are also great for growing
sustainable development – not herbs and small vegetables such
bad for something that costs as lettuce, and Nasturtiums look
nothing! especially good in them. Stack
tyres for deeper roots and don’t
forget the importance of watering
and feeding this small volume of
soil in the summer: children are
LTL accepts no enthusiastic waterers however,
responsibility for the and are unlikely to forget if there
quality of goods or is a good supply of watering cans
services provided by
any companies listed. and water!
This Advice Sheet offers To grow potatoes, place one seed
a selection of contacts potato under the soil and add
to try – always try your
local Yellow Pages or more soil every few days to keep
Thomson Directory, and the growing shoot covered,
an internet search Tyres for growing stacking another tyre on top when
engine such as required. A stacking system can
www.google.com as
Tyres make a growing container also be used to make a
well.
with a difference – they also composting bin using composting
become islands around which the worms – make a lid to keep out
bike play can flow, seats that are pests.
JM: 09-10

2. Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet
Using tyres outdoors
Tyres for playing
Early Years Outdoors is
one of the subscription
services from Learning
through Landscapes,
the UK’s national school
grounds and early years
outdoor play charity.
For more information
about subscriptions,
call 01962 845811.
The Early Years
Outdoors Advice
Tyres in sand play
Line is open Monday to Some of the best cross-curricular
Friday all year round. In an outdoor space with very
learning we have seen has been
Contact our specialist limited space or opportunity for a
team for advice on through the provision of several
large sand area, the largest tyres
using, designing or small tyres (try to get mini tyres)
can make a suitable sand pit.
managing your space: as loose resources for play,
However, do make sure all your
especially for physical
Tel: children can easily climb in and
01962 845811 development and for supporting
out: babies can sit inside but
children’s explorations of rotation
toddlers will find this too difficult;
Email: and circular schemas. The more
member@ltl.org.uk do all your children have
tyres you can provide, the more
sufficient mobility to access the
Web: inventive and complex will be the
sand fully?
www.ltl.org.uk play that emerges – let children
work together to arrange them
and devise their own activities as
well as making suggestions to
them. They will roll them and
stack them, worm their way
through them, hide in them,
climb in and out, jump between
and off or balance on planks laid
between two tyres.
LTL accepts no
responsibility for the
quality of goods or Much imaginative play will be
services provided by prompted or supported because
any companies listed. of the small spaces they create
and their connection to vehicles:
This Advice Sheet offers
a selection of contacts provide hollow blocks, wooden
Cover with a round plywood lid to
to try – always try your planks, blankets and steering
keep cats out (a rope handle
local Yellow Pages or wheels to support this. Tyres also
Thomson Directory, and make this easier to manipulate)
take chalk well and children have
an internet search and ensure drainage by lining
engine such as been observed sitting inside a
with landscape fabric before
www.google.com as large tyre, deeply involved in
filling – plastic will not drain well.
well. chalking on the sides. Loose
The sand can be cleaned regularly
tyres can also be used to hold
by washing through with
down a net or tarpaulin cover for
disinfectant, turning over all the
JM: 09-10 a sand area when not in use.

3. Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet
Using tyres outdoors
sand, and sieving occasionally; aggregates. There are many
replace all the sand annually. lovely stones and interesting
Tyres can also be filled with top forms of gravel available from
Early Years Outdoors is
one of the subscription
soil, purchased from a gardening garden centres that make
services from Learning supplier, to provide an excellent materials for outdoor
through Landscapes, opportunity for simply digging. play and great landscapes for
the UK’s national school Big tyres will enable children to small world play, such as with
grounds and early years
outdoor play charity.
climb into the soil and use their dinosaurs. Many settings have
whole body to dig with long- filled tyres of various sizes,
handled tools, rather than stacking smaller ones to vary
For more information reaching in with hand tools. height too, with gravel or other
about subscriptions,
call 01962 845811.
Allow children to add lots of water interesting stones and pieces of
to sand and soil to meet their wood. A tyre filled with just soil
investigative interests and explore will also provide such a landscape
different textures: it will drain – provide diggers, other vehicles
away overnight. and appropriate props such as
twigs and play people.
Tyres create spaces, and places
The Early Years
Outdoors Advice
Line is open Monday to
Friday all year round.
Contact our specialist
team for advice on
using, designing or
managing your space:
Tel:
01962 845811
Email:
member@ltl.org.uk
Tyres will help you to manage
Web: your outdoor space in several
www.ltl.org.uk ways. A row of upright tyres can Tyres placed in good spots will
be sunk into the ground to create help you to manage where bikes
a boundary between the active can and can’t go. Use them as
and quiet zones of your space– planted islands to influence the
children will sit on or lie across direction of flow of wheeled
these. vehicles, repositioning every so
often to refresh the play. They
In a fully hard-surfaced area, use can also provide crash barriers for
several planters of one, two or when wheeled vehicles come
LTL accepts no
three tyres height and clustered close to fences and walls. Car,
responsibility for the together to make a soft, planted truck and tractor tyres are the
quality of goods or area. Children will be able to sit perfect height when laid flat for
services provided by on the container edges and move children to sit on, walk round and
any companies listed.
amongst the meandering use as jumping off points: young
This Advice Sheet offers pathways and spaces between children need raised surfaces for
a selection of contacts them. Tall grasses and bamboos this important developmental
to try – always try your can create an atmosphere to activity. It is also very important
local Yellow Pages or
Thomson Directory, and spark off imaginative play; to provide children with small,
an internet search colourful, fragrant or tactile nurturing spaces in your outdoor
engine such as planting will create a relaxing area and the biggest tyres are just
www.google.com as sensory area. the right size for two or three
well.
children to sit inside together, or
Tyres can be used as containers for one child to play quietly in
for resources such as shells, pine their own private space, away
JM: 09-10 cones, cobbles, pebbles and other from the boisterous play.

4. Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet
Using tyres outdoors
Tyres for challenge
If you can make a collection of
Early Years Outdoors is
one of the subscription
different sized tyres, why not
services from Learning consider using them as an
through Landscapes, alternative climbing frame, as
the UK’s national school Acorns Montessori Nursery has
grounds and early years
outdoor play charity.
done?
For more information
about subscriptions,
call 01962 845811. Be safe, and have fun!
Have we convinced you to try
using tyres in your outdoor
provision? Preparation of the
tyres is important but straight
forward. Choose only those that
are intact and check for exposed
The Early Years wires, strips and nails on both
Outdoors Advice
Line is open Monday to
inner and outer surfaces, wearing
Friday all year round. gloves until you are sure all
Contact our specialist surfaces are sound: the tyres are
team for advice on then safe to use. Clean them
using, designing or
managing your space:
thoroughly (a pressure washer as
used for cars is helpful) and when
Tel: dry use a handkerchief to test
01962 845811 that the surface will not mark
Tyres from huge JCB to small car clothing too much.
Email:
member@ltl.org.uk size have been set vertically in a
line, well buried into the ground,
Web: so that they provide a wonderful
www.ltl.org.uk
range of spaces and textures for
the children to explore and
master. Simple painting suggests
a friendly dragon and small
children can actually ‘hide’ in the
rim of the largest tyre, or walk
straight through it. A bicycle tyre
in the sequence can provide
additional interest!
LTL accepts no
responsibility for the Other settings have used tyres to
quality of goods or make stepping stones and humps
services provided by
in the ground so that children
any companies listed.
have challenging surfaces to
This Advice Sheet offers negotiate. They can also be used
a selection of contacts as swings: ensure full adult
to try – always try your
supervision during use and
local Yellow Pages or
Thomson Directory, and children will find this activity Gloss paint onto clean and dry
an internet search thrilling. Whenever tyres are used surfaces will last for 2-3 years and
engine such as for physical activity, ensure helps prevent the rubber from
www.google.com as marking clothes.
children develop the appropriate
well.
skills and awareness to use them
safely.
JM: 09-10

5. Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet
Using tyres outdoors
Caring for tyres
They are easily stored by stacking
Early Years Outdoors is
one of the subscription
and covering with a tarpaulin; run
services from Learning a long chain through them if you
through Landscapes, suffer from out-of-hours visitors.
the UK’s national school Prevent rainwater from collecting
grounds and early years
outdoor play charity.
inside the rim by storing them
horizontally and covered or drill
holes for drainage. Wash them
For more information down with a hosepipe if they are
about subscriptions,
call 01962 845811.
dirt-splashed after rain.
As with all equipment, check your
tyres regularly for wear and
damage and replace any that have
developed damage or serious
wear.
The Early Years
Remember, the purpose of risk
Outdoors Advice assessment is to enable children
Line is open Monday to to have rich and appropriately
Friday all year round. challenging opportunities, not to
Contact our specialist
team for advice on
prevent them from doing things
using, designing or so be pragmatic and realistic
managing your space: when assessing how you might
use tyres in your setting.
Tel:
01962 845811
Email:
member@ltl.org.uk
Web:
www.ltl.org.uk
LTL accepts no
responsibility for the
quality of goods or
services provided by
any companies listed.
This Advice Sheet offers
a selection of contacts
to try – always try your
local Yellow Pages or
Thomson Directory, and
an internet search
engine such as
www.google.com as
well.
JM: 09-10