Collaborating Across Disciplines to Support Outdoor Learning and Child Development
Heddwen Davies and Glenda Tinney are lecturers at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), and for several years have been collaborating to offer a Summer Nature Camp at Cynefin, UWTSD’s outdoor centre. Such collaboration reflects many of the opportunities at UWTSD to develop links across disciplines and institutes with Heddwen, a lecturer from the Institute of Management and Health specialising in sport, health and physical education and Glenda a lecturer from the Institute of Education and Humanities specialising in childhood and education.
Despite their different areas of study, both have a passion for outdoor learning and supporting children and young people connect with the world around them in a physical, healthy, creative way. The summer camps are a great opportunity to see how children can, follow their curiosity and develop holistically while engaging in play based and experiential learning at Cynefin. For example, in this year’s Summer Camp, children discovered a toad, looked into how they might create an ant colony, explored insect and plant life, built a range of dens and made potions. In the past, they have also been involved in treasure hunts, plotting maps and developing basic orienteering skills, nature based art and other nature craft activities. As the photographs are testament, they’ve been discovery based and very engaging days – something for everyone.
Glenda said:
“Being part of these summer camps is a real delight. As lecturers, we get to run these outdoor nature based summer camps which are part of UWTSD’s wider Summer Camp provision. For me, it also means a chance to work with children. Such practice based experiences support the delivery of the portfolio we offer our undergraduate students.
“We have first-hand evidence of the significant benefits provided for children when they can connect with the natural world around them and also engage in loose parts and play. It is also wonderful to collaborate with Heddwen and learn from how she would undertake activities, again, important knowledge that can benefit students across a range of courses.
“The experiences of the children at the Cynefin summer camp also support wider sustainability learning, with children able to focus on caring for the plants and animals they find, learning how and where things grow and seeing their own connection and dependence on the natural world and wider responsibility to be kind, and work together”.
Heddwen added:
“To be able to invite young children from our locality to use the wonderful facilities at Cynefin has been great. The provision we have provided over the last couple of years through Camp Cynefin has ensured that every child has been involved with activities that are meaningful and worthwhile. Establishing this came about initially from a colleague, Dr Andy Williams, who has since retired from UWTSD. I am very proud of these camps and glad that some of our Outdoor Adventure Education (OAE) students have also benefited from attending and leading on some of the activities offered.
“Furthermore, Glenda and I are both Welsh speakers and so our provision is bilingual. Hopefully, more parents and teachers will hear about the provision. The next planned camp is at Easter. ”.
Moving forward, Heddwen and Glenda hope that such collaboration can further support more students to develop their own practice skills, where they can come and support summer camp provision and gain important experience in future. The University’s Childhood, Youth and Education team are already looking at other ways to work in partnership for example, with modules from the University’s physical literacy programme, SKIP Cymru, being offered as part of revalidated programmes 2026.
The summer camps also highlight the benefits of the Cynefin site at UWTSD for range of outdoor experiences and engagement with the natural world with this space offering students, staff and community groups important wellbeing and learning spaces, including nature walks and workshops through Cynefin Green Health Hub which are designed to engage the local community as well as staff and students. The Outdoor Education degrees are also based in Cynefin and there have been also opportunities for other degree programmes to benefit from the site through bespoke workshops for students. In doing so, Cynefin offers an invaluable learning and community space.
Further Information
Lowri Thomas
Principal Communications and PR Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: lowri.thomas@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07449 998476