The Wonders of Outdoor Play and Learning.

I did an outdoor play workshop today with some elementary teachers. It was a beautiful day and such a joy to be outside. They had a beautiful school yard with plenty of opportunities to play and learn. They’re also close to lots of cool outdoor areas. Today we stayed in the school yard and started by taking inventory of the environment and then discussed the possibilities. Lots of times we just “go outside” without thinking of where we are going and what wonders we can discover there. By taking this inventory, the teachers were better able to plan their outdoor activities. You can do this with students too. We know that children often see things that we might miss. We also gathered some outdoor loose parts and brainstormed ideas about what we could do with them.

I think we often miss the potential of learning outdoors and learning from the land. I know that when I was teaching my thoughts were…. “It’s too cold/hot/windy/rainy” or “it’s too much work” or it just interrupted the flow of the day. But you know what I have since realized? Outside is a great place to learn and we should be out there more often. Plan a time each day, week, month to go outside to play and learn. It doesn’t have to be big. Read a story outside. Go for a walk. Investigate what’s on the ground. Investigate what’s in the sky. Stop and listen. I used to say, “how can we go outside, it’s too….” Now I say, “How can we not?” Be planned. Be organized. Be ready. And most of all, be playful!