Our school has an Outdoor Learning Committee that I am a part of. We all feel very strongly that the environment where the children play outside is just as important as the environment inside our school. We have worked hard to make our playground an area where the kids can run, exercise explore and yes...learn! Outside play plays an important role in children's development! They are working gross motor muscles and getting must needed exercise. They learn how to solve problems such as when social disagreements arise. They learn empathy as they help friends who get hurt. They learn to take risks and see where their limits are and feel empowered as they take those risks and succeed. They create games and role play. They learn science concepts as they discover things in nature and learn to look closer and ask questions about what they see as they discover new things. They learn kindness as they try to save an insect in danger or nurture a plant. They are literally learning about life and life skills as they play outside, so we knew the environment needed to support that. We had an area that we were having some problems with in the middle of our asphalt area. We wanted to turn it into something all of the kids could explore and benefit from and decided to create a Barefoot Sensory Path. We came up with a design and my husband figured out how to make it so that it would be sturdy and last. Our amazing PTO gave us funds to purchase the materials and we had fun shopping at Lowes for items that would provide the sensory experiences we were hoping for. Our team came in on a Saturday and went to work. Our maintenance team had dug the area down four inches so that it would be even with the asphalt. We put down a layer of paver sand, and then the 4x4's. We glued some materials to 2x2 pieces of plywood. The sections were all 2x2. We filled the sections with paver base and tamped it solid. My son even came and helped! Here is the finished frame. Of course, we had to test it out! Here is the finished path!! We were so excited for the kids to try it! It was a huge success!! The kids absolutely loved walking on it with bare feet, crawling on it and feeling with their hands and even laying in it enjoying the warmth radiating from it from being in the sun. Another new area we created was an area to create roads, ramps, etc. using scrap wood, cars, signs and other loose parts. This lovely lady below had the vision for this area! We also added an area to really work those gross motor muscles. Mr. Doyle created a boundary to keep it all contained to one area. We filled it with stumps, logs, and large branches. The kids have created obstacle courses and love lifting these up to show how strong they are! They jump, balance and create here. They collaborate and problem solve. They use both critical and creative thinking skills. This is a great area to develop 21st Century Learning Skills as they play! For our nature lovers, we have an area with plants for them to explore and observe. Some are edible such as peppermint and fennel. We have cone flowers, milkweed, irises, sunflowers and more. This area is a great place to explore and observe insects also! Here are some other things on our playground where they can let lose and have fun! Our playground is still a work in progress! We have many more ideas that we want to implement some day! One step at a time!
FREE printable Symmetry drawing activity for preschool and kindergarten kids. A fun art and math activity in one! Kids will complete the symmetrical pictures by drawing the other half.
Hello I’ve been meaning to write a little more about life and some thoughts about decorating. I’m kind of emptying the contents of my head here, so I understand if you click away early. Things are always busy in the springtime, but this year exceptionally so as both my boys are graduating -one from 8th...
Aujourd'hui on cuisine les aubergines avant qu'elles ne disparaissent de nos étals... et je vous propose pour cela un délicieux curry crémeux à base de lait de coco (possible crème liquide si vous n'aimez pas la coco), d'épices parfumées et de pois-chiches...
The Skagerak Plank bench is a classic designed, solid teak outdoor bench crafted out of FSC-certified teak. This beautiful piece of teak outdoor furniture features a horizontal planks on the backrest designed to hold a your drinking glass, or maybe a flower pot. Dimensions: 56.69"W x 27.56"D x 30.32"H | Seat Height 17.72 On Order: This item is currently on order and ships in 4-6 weeks
An outdoor cat house keeps your cats protected & warm. See choices of insulated, heated cat house options for your cats, strays/feral kittens
Je wilt zelf in de tuin genieten, maar een kindvriendelijke tuin voor je kinderen is ook heel fijn. Met deze tips creëer je de tuin voor je kids en jezelf!
Ready to get started? Let's explore some wallet-friendly back patio ideas!
Get Montessori outdoor exploration ideas for your tiny explorers as they go into nature. Includes play ideas and fun activities for kids.
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Nul besoin d'avoir un grand terrain pour profiter de son jardin ! Découvrez toutes nos idées pour aménager un petit jardin.
9 Dwarf Trees With High Yield Great For Small Areas! When it comes to gardening in small spaces, dwarf trees are a fantastic choice. These compact beauties not only add aesthetic appeal but also provide
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Big outdoor musical instruments are a lot of fun.
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With our backyard ice rink up and running this winter, an outdoor bench to take a break on was a priority project. I wanted to use this opportunity to come up w…
From the South of France to Brazil and Italy, here are the top ten most liked homes on Airbnb.
Tuin ideeën opdoen? Klik hier en bekijk onze leuke tuin ideeen, praktische tips en inspiratie foto's voor het inrichten van jouw perfecte tuin!
Looking for awesome shapes worksheets for kindergarten and games to use in your classroom? This pack is filled with hands-on activities and no-prep worksheets to help children learn about and use shapes.
No matter if it is large or small, your garden probably has the potential to be one of the favorite places of all the members of your family. Those people
Early spring is the season of hope: for the most beautiful garden ever. And you can have that. You also can lay the most charming front path in the history
