YOU'RE never too young to experience the great outdoors — just ask the tots at a Westhoughton primary school.

The Gates Primary School struck lucky on the National Lottery to win a grant of £10,000 which has transformed its early years foundation stage outdoor area.

Features include a texture kitchen, sandpit and stage. There is also a gym space which includes a boxing bag and gloves.

The outdoor area is designed to engage all the senses of the little ones so they can learn through play.

Teachers say that the area will help develop children's vocabulary as they describe and explain what they are doing while they learn maths through measuring skills.

The sandpit will encourage children to explore and develop their gross-motor development and on stage their can explore their creative side — with the gym area having an impact in and out of the classroom.

Ronnie Slater, business manager, said: "This is allowing the children to take part in an upcoming popular sport whilst developing the strength in the muscle groups of the shoulder, elbow and wrist.

"This is showing to have greater impact on children's early mark making and pencil grip.

"Our 'stage' is again allowing children to take on imaginative roles, creating music and story telling."

She added: "These new spaces are increasing children's confidence and heightening imagination and creativity through very popular choices of play. "

The outdoor area cost £6,000 and the rest was used to organise regular trips.

"At The Gates we secured a Lottery Grant to provide 'Forest school' learning activities through organising a school trip out up Rivington for nursery children and weekly activities that took place on the school grounds for reception children.

"We concluded this learning by holding a celebration session after school for children and their family were we made pizza and toasted marshmallow on a fire pit."