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In addition to parks in our area, our preschool children have access to our wonderful outdoor learning spaces. Children in outdoor spaces can be loud, have more expansive movement and use their imagination in different ways. When they are outside, they can try out different hands-on experiences leading to amazing new discoveries. Playing outdoors helps children develop social skills, spatial and sensory awareness, cooperation, and communication skills. Outdoor play also helps children learn about decision making and risk taking.
One of the reasons taking children outdoors is so beneficial, even if it isn’t into a natural space, is that we adults tend to care less about controlling about outdoor spaces. Inside we may fuss over cleanliness and the proper uses of things. (“Chairs are not for standing.”) While outdoors we back off a bit and that alone is why most children are more relaxed, open minded and creative outside. Outdoor play enables children to learn about the world. How does ice feel? Can sticks stand up in sand? How do plants grow? What does a chrysalis change into? Much of what a child learns outside can be learned in a variety of other ways but learning it outside is particularly not only effective — but fun!
Operating during the pandemic for the past two years has shed a new light on the beauty and functionality of not only our facility but also our neighborhood. We have fabulous wild spaces all around us. Our outdoor classroom space, while intentionally set up for exploration, also has spaces for the children to just be. Our outdoor places are not always places of picturesque beauty, but they are desirable and necessary spaces for the children to connect with nature and to create and challenge themselves. Not only do children learn lots of basic and fundamental information about how the world works but they are more likely to remember what they learned because it was concrete and personally meaningful.
At PTS we are fortunate to have the space and weather to enjoy the outdoors most of the year. Even when we do have some rain, that does not stop our children from venturing outside to puddle jump, go on nature walks and search for creatures that come out when it is wet. The children at PTS thrive through the opportunity to learn from outdoor experiences daily. The creation of our outdoor classroom 10 years ago has allowed for an indoor and outdoor flow that benefits our children develop mentally, physically, and cognitively. Most recently, I enjoyed observing our Transitional Kindergarten class celebrate Tu B’shevat. The class approached the holiday from a natural sciences and ecology view by making bird feeders and tree creations with loose parts, writing in their nature journals, discussing recycling, and composting and during quiet moments — enjoying the different sounds in nature.
This winter, let us learn from our youngest learners. Take some time outside. Go for a walk, explore nature. There is always something we can learn from our surroundings or at least take a big deep breath.
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