Preschool teachers share a basic understanding that children learn through play. Children also have an innate need to connect with nature. Therefore, many preschool learning objectives can be better taught utilizing nature. Village Green Day School at Lowes Island is situated on more than three acres of land that includes a community garden, multiple flower beds, brand new playground equipment and several open fields. As Head of School, I feel it is important that the children are able to take full advantage of all of these wonderful outdoor spaces. With this goal in mind, our past several annual staff trainings have focused on the Outdoor Classroom.
I continually encourage my staff to develop outside lessons that use natural resources whenever possible because research shows that the Outdoor Classroom:
1. Improves physical development and motor skills. The monkey bars on our playground are a kid favorite. What better way to develop their gross motor skills while they play!?
2. Supports creative and imaginative play. The storylines for outside games and activities are ever changing. The children must imagine what their surroundings can become, be it a fort, a pirate’s ship, a road, or a mountain.
3. Allows for sensory-based, hands-on learning. Our discovery box is filled with whatever natural items interest the children that day while they are enjoying the outdoors. It is often a combination of leaves, dirt, mulch, worms and tree blocks. The children love to touch and examine these natural materials.
4. Facilitates social development and team play. Children develop social graces in order to include themselves in the outside games being played. It is fun to watch this social development as the year progresses.
5. Reduces stress. There is nothing better than moving around in fresh air to reduce stress. Children are in their element outside. They are free just to be!
Training for Village Green Day School at Lowes Island staff was presented by Nature Explore: www.natureexplore.org and Project Wild: www.pwGrowingUpWild.org.
