Skip to main content
Cambridge
  • Products and Services

    Products and Services

    • Products and Services

      Our innovative products and services for learners, authors and customers are based on world-class research and are relevant, exciting and inspiring.

    • Academic Research, Teaching and Learning
    • English Language Learning
    • English Language Assessment
    • International Education
    • Education resources for schools
    • Bibles
    • Educational Research & Network
    • OCR
    • Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing
    • Cambridge CEM
    • Partnership for Education
    • Cambridge Dictionary
    • The Cambridge Mathematics Project
    • CogBooks
    • Bookshop
  • About Us

    About Us

    • About Us

      We unlock the potential of millions of people worldwide. Our assessments, publications and research spread knowledge, spark enquiry and aid understanding around the world.

    • What we do
    • Our story
    • People and planet
    • Diversity and inclusion
    • Annual Report
    • News and insights
    • Governance
    • Legal
    • Accessibility
    • Rights and permissions
    • Contact us
    • Media enquiries
  • Careers

    Careers

    • Careers

      No matter who you are, what you do, or where you come from, you’ll feel proud to work here.

    • Careers
    • Jobs
    • Benefits
Change Language

Cambridge English Language Assessment

Main navigation

  • Products and Services

    Products and Services

    • Products and Services

      Our innovative products and services for learners, authors and customers are based on world-class research and are relevant, exciting and inspiring.

    • Academic Research, Teaching and Learning
    • English Language Learning
    • English Language Assessment
    • International Education
    • Education resources for schools
    • Bibles
    • Educational Research & Network
    • OCR
    • Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing
    • Cambridge CEM
    • Partnership for Education
    • Cambridge Dictionary
    • The Cambridge Mathematics Project
    • CogBooks
    • Bookshop
  • About Us

    About Us

    • About Us

      We unlock the potential of millions of people worldwide. Our assessments, publications and research spread knowledge, spark enquiry and aid understanding around the world.

    • What we do
    • Our story
    • People and planet
    • Diversity and inclusion
    • Annual Report
    • News and insights
    • Governance
    • Legal
    • Accessibility
    • Rights and permissions
    • Contact us
    • Media enquiries
  • Careers

    Careers

    • Careers

      No matter who you are, what you do, or where you come from, you’ll feel proud to work here.

    • Careers
    • Jobs
    • Benefits
Change Language
English Language Assessment
  • Home
  • Why choose us?

    Why choose us?

    • Learners

    • Who accepts our exams?
    • Visas and immigration
    • Study abroad
    • Cambridge English journeys
    • Organisations

    • English for higher education institutions
    • Our exams and tests
    • Verify results online
    • Setting your requirements
    • Exam security and quality
    • Employers
    • Research and Consultancy

    • English Research Group
    • English language consultancy
    • Impact monitoring and evaluation
  • Exams and tests

    Exams and tests

    • Cambridge English Qualifications Cambridge English Qualifications
    • Schools
    • For young learners:
    • Pre A1 Starters (YLE Starters)
    • A1 Movers (YLE Movers)
    • A2 Flyers (YLE Flyers)
    • Digital for young learners:
    • Pre A1 Starters Digital
    • A1 Movers Digital

    • A2 Key for Schools (KET)
    • B1 Preliminary for Schools (PET)
    • B2 First for Schools (FCE)
    • C1 Advanced (CAE)
    • C2 Proficiency (CPE)
    • General and Higher Education
    • A2 Key (KET)
    • B1 Preliminary (PET)
    • B2 First (FCE)
    • C1 Advanced (CAE)
    • C2 Proficiency (CPE)
    • Business
    • B1 Business Preliminary (BEC Preliminary)
    • B2 Business Vantage (BEC Vantage)
    • C1 Business Higher (BEC Higher)

    • IELTS IELTS
    • Linguaskill Linguaskill
    • Cambridge English Skills Test Cambridge English Skills Test
    • OET OET
    • MET MET
    • Useful links

    • Test your English
    • Cambridge English Placement Test
    • How to register
    • Find an exam centre
    • What to expect on exam day
    • Study English in the UK
    • See exam results online
    • Cambridge English Scale
    • International language standards explained
    • Information for preparation centres
    • Ways to take your Cambridge English Qualification
  • Learning English

    Learning English

    • Free activities
    • Exam preparation
    • Test your English
    • Parents and children
    • Games and social media
    • More resources
  • Teaching English

    Teaching English

    • Teaching qualifications
    • CELTA
    • DELTA
    • TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test)
    • Professional development
    • Cambridge English Teaching Framework
    • Cambridge English Trainer Framework
    • Become a Cambridge English Assessment Specialist
    • Resources for teachers
    • Webinars for teachers
    • Information for preparation centres
    • Find a teaching qualification centre
  • Blog
  • News
  • Events
  • Help

    Help

    • Lost certificates
    • Enquiries and appeals
    • Special requirements
    • Special considerations
    • Malpractice
    • Complaints
    • Corporate social responsibility
    • IELTS Help
  • Test your English
  • Find an exam centre
  • Who accepts our exams?
English Language Assessment

You are here:

  1. Cambridge English
  2. Learning English
  3. Help your child learn English
  4. Your child's interests
  5. Learn English through outdoor play

Learn English through outdoor play

  • Your child's interests
    • Learning English through Stories
    • An English diary
    • Learn English through songs
    • Learn English through videos and TV
    • Learn English through games
    • Practising English using digital technology
    • Learn English through drawing
    • Learn English through outdoor play
    • Learn English through social media
    • The importance of games

Motivation is one of the most important factors in language learning. Children who are enthusiastic about learning English are more likely to work hard.

The most powerful type of motivation is when children enjoy learning and the learning experience is fun and interesting.

Any language ‘work’ you do at home that is fun, varied, attention-grabbing or creative will help your child prepare for their exams and develop their English language skills in a natural, stress-free way.

Outdoor language learning activities

Watch your children playing. What do they enjoy doing?

  • Reading stories
  • Physical play and sports
  • Drawing pictures
  • Going on treasure hunts
  • Using their imagination
  • Playing games
  • Collecting shells, flowers, leaves. 

Try doing these types of activities in English and make a note of what your child responds to best. 

English learning tips

Writing activities:

  • Ask your child to collect some items that interest them. For example, a shell, a flower or a pebble. Ask them to create their own exhibition and to write a caption for each item.
  • Ask your child to shoot a short, silent video. For example, my favourite places, or my favourite things to do outdoors. Ask your child to write 10–20 English words to describe their video. If they feel confident, they could then record a voiceover to their video, using the words from their list.
  • Outdoor adventures can be a great inspiration for creative writing. Ask your child to take some photos of things that interest them. Then ask them to use one or more of the pictures to write a short story. 
  • Ask your child to write and illustrate a one-week ‘weather diary’ or ‘outdoor activities diary’.

Reading activities:

  • Give your child a list of things to find. For example, a tree, a bird, a petal, something ‘yellow’, something ‘old’, something that starts with every letter of the alphabet (A–Z). Ask them to take a photograph of each item. This is a great game to play on a walk.
  • Ask your child to research an outdoor food recipe - something that could be cooked on a barbeque/campfire, or something that could be prepared for a picnic.
  • Your child might like to create their own outdoor reading den. Encourage your child to read storybooks outside, particularly books about outdoor adventures and nature. 

Speaking and listening activities

  • Decide on an obstacle course, with objects that have to be avoided (for example, trees, bushes, footballs). One family member will walk through the obstacle course while blindfolded. Another family member will guide them using English words (e.g. left, right, stop, take one step back). 
  • Play guessing games such as I spy something that starts with the letter … and 20 questions (ask your child to think of something, then ask up to 20 questions to guess what it is). 
  • Try playing the game Simon says. Give your child an instruction. For example, ‘Simon says jump’, ‘Simon says touch your toes’, ‘Simon says pretend to be a duck’. If the sentence starts with ‘Simon says’ your child should act out the instruction. If the sentence doesn’t start with ‘Simon says’ your child should ignore the instruction and stay completely still.

On this site

  • Home
  • Why Cambridge English?
  • Exams and tests
  • Learning English
  • Teaching English
  • News
  • Events
  • Help
  • About us
  • Who accepts our exams?
  • Agents
  • Consultancy
  • Research
  • Contact us
  • ALTE logo
  • English Profile logo
  • Cambridge University Press & Assessment
  • BSI Logo

View Related Sites

  • Cambridge English main site
  • Cambridge English helpdesk
  • Cambridge English Schools
  • Cambridge English Online
  • Cambridge English for Centres
  • Preparation Centres Online
  • Results Verification Service
  • Occupational English Test
  • ALTE
  • English Profile
  • Cambridge University Press & Assessment
  • Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing
  • Michigan Language Assessment
  • Cambridge Assessment Japan Foundation


© Cambridge University Press & Assessment

  • Terms & conditions
  • Data protection
  • Accessibility statement
  • Statement on modern slavery
  • Safeguarding policy
  • Sitemap
Back to top