Outdoor Learning and Play

Liv Torunn Grindheim is a Professor in Early Childhood Pedagogy at Kindergarten Knowledge Centre for Systemic Research on Diversity and Sustainable Futures, at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. She received her PhD in social studies of childhood from Norwegian centre for child research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Norway. Her research interests are play, conditions for children's exploration, cultural formation, children as citizens and sustainability in ECE. Her research has been published in Journals such as Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, and European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. She has also published chapters in scientific anthologies at Springer and Brill.
Hanne Værum Sørensen is an associate professor at VIA University College, Aarhus. She holds a MA in Child Psychology and a BA in Social Education. Her research interests focus on conditions for children's outdoor playtime, children's explorative activities, and children's readiness for school. She is an experienced teacher in early childhood teacher education in Denmark since 2001, and in Norway, where she has four years of experience from doing research and teaching within the area of ECE education. Hanne has published articles in Danish, Nordic and International Journals as well as book chapters in Danish, English and Norwegian.


Angela Rekers, PhD, is a lecturer on Health, Social and Childhood Studies at Neath Port Talbot Colleges Group, Wales. Angela holds an MSc in Environmental Education for Sustainability and has worked in the field of experiential and outdoor learning for 20 years. Her research interests include education for social and ecological justice, multimodal literacies, inclusive participation and inclusive research methodologies.