‘The teacher doesn't know what it is, but she knows where we are’: young children's secret places in early childhood outdoor environments

This paper presents a qualitative case study examining two early childhood outdoor play environments which illuminates the complex concept of children's secret places and how they potentially conflict with adult constructions of outdoor spaces. While educators may be able to design outdoor environments based on sound pedagogical decisions within regulatory guidelines, what resonates with children is often a different sort of place. A child's ‘secret place’ is not only perceived as private and adult-free, but is uniquely constructed by children themselves. A version of the Mosaic Approach is used to invite children's conversations about what they consider important in their outdoor places for play.