The Outdoor Classroom
Posted by Faith BarbutoYes, playing outside is fun, healthy and critical to child development and in kindergarten we do lots of it, but we also use the great outdoors to learn! Simple trips to the playground can become engaging math activities, where students are challenged to count objects or find examples of patterns or symmetry. The walk back from a fire drill can become a time to explore spider webs and mystery holes. When the budding scientists were armed with clipboards and asked to make scientific observations using their senses, the outdoor classroom really came alive! Sounds of insects, cars and babbling brooks were recorded. Lots of things we see everyday were more closely examined and noticed, rocks turned over to reveal whole villages of bugs! We smelled flowers, grass and hay – closing our eyes to breathe it all in. Using our hands to discover more about textures we felt rough bark, soft moss and damp grass. Everytime we step outside, a whole new world awaits!
← Practicing Mindfulness Think-Pair-Share →