Guest Editor’s INTRODUCTION [Special Issue: Outdoor Play and Learning]

It is an interesting time in human history. Being outdoors generally costs nothing and can be extremely pleasurable. Yet outdoor opportunities that were once taken for granted are diminishing (Bhosale, Duncan, & Schofield, 2017; Milteer, Ginsburg, & Mulligan, 2012; Woolley & Griffin, 2015). Rhee (2016) noted that in many Asian regions, preference for more academically oriented activities in early childhood education settings has led to both indoor and outdoor play being sidelined. Outdoors is considered to be riskier and there is still a strong image of real learning occurring indoors. While the value of outdoor play and learning is often acknowledged, many questions remain regarding pedagogies, research approaches, benefits, and even basic definitions. This special issue of Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education contributes to current debate, empirical findings, and recommendations for policy and pedagogy regarding the outdoors.