Outdoor Education

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
AND VENUES
What is an outdoor class? What are its purposes?
• The purpose of the Outdoor Classroom is simple: to increase the number,

quality and benefits of outdoor experiences for children.
• The vision of the Outdoor Classroom is simple: Spending more time

outside, especially in natural areas, benefits children. Its purpose is just as
simple: to increase the number, quality and benefits of children's outdoor
experiences.
The Outdoors is an Important Learning Environment.
Learning takes place in external environments that do not include closed environments. It is important,
then, that outdoor environments are as richly and carefully equipped as enclosed environments. Children
should be able to move smoothly both indoors and outdoors; The processes of playing and learning should
be as easy in one area as in another. Adults should not approach it as if one area is more educational than
another.
Freedom for Children to Play On Their Own.
 The basic principle of the Outdoor Classroom is the right

of children to start their own activities. Children need to
explore, dream, try new things and learn alone or with
friends. After all, what we all learn most deeply is what
we discover “on our own”.
Learning Takes Time.
Most adults who work with children try to rush them. Pressuring children to hurry hinders learning
rather than accelerates it. Like nearly everyone else, children learn best when they are comfortable
and have open-ended time to create their own activities. They need time to develop new skills and
internalize them. The Outdoor Classroom encourages children to spend as much time outside as
they want. The time children have is often directly related to the freedom they have.
Children Need Physical Activity.
Physical activity is necessary for the development and health of children. The open space offers children
ample room for movement, strong social play and opportunities for exploration, large and small. Children's
own activities help them develop motor skills and learn how the world works.
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Full Range of Events.
Outdoor Classroom
“Everything you can do indoors
and more, you can do outside!”
has an approach. Part of the
dream of the Outdoor
Classroom is that indoor and
outdoor spaces become a
unique learning environment.
Comprehensive, Holistic, Specific Curriculum
Curriculum is one of the trickiest elements in Early Childhood Education (ECE). How do we
support their development instead of imposing our own adult agendas on children? In the
Outdoor Class; We find that curriculum is everything a child comes into contact with in a day,
rather than work or activities designed by adults. Adults observe and respond to children's needs
and interests, taking into account this expanded understanding of the curriculum.
z
Participating Children and Participating Teachers.
Participation is the key to learning. Real learning only

happens when children engage with their environment
and the people around them, often through activities
that they initiate themselves. Paradoxically, in ECE
settings this means that truly engaged teachers are often
in the background, observing and responding rather
than leading. Participating teachers support children
who start their own learning process.
. . . A throwback to something very old: child-centred learning.
■ To the uninformed eye, the Outdoor Classroom may seem like something kids play outside as they
always do. But playing in the Outdoor Classroom has a much deeper meaning. And this thing is not
just the next popular agenda, it's a novelty coming our way. In fact, it's a throwback to something
very old: "child-centered learning.«
■ The Outdoor Classroom shifts ECE from a primarily teacher-initiated indoor model to an outdoor
model that embraces child-initiated play, which is critical to children's well-being. By bringing
children and their activities outside, the character and genre of what they do is transformed as well.
Supported by caring adults who ensure their safety and enthusiasm, children regain control over
their own activities and take responsibility for their own learning and growth. Teachers 'leave
control' by being observant and supportive.
The seven most critical problems facing children today are:
 1. Lack of exercise
 2. Engaging in electronic media
 3. Perceiving the outdoor as an unsafe place to play
 4. Isolation from nature and fear of nature
 5. Lack of connection with the world, including with nature
 6. Disdainful approaches to childhood
 7. Widespread use of behavior-modifying drugs in young children

The Outdoor Class also helps to renew the familiar advantages of childhood:
 1. Taking kids outside and making them more active
 2. Engaging children in hands-on, flexibly adaptable outdoor play
 3. Creating opportunities to understand how to safely handle outdoor risks
 4. Connecting with children in a way that encourages them to connect more deeply with nature
 5. Teaching children about cause and effect through outdoor and interactive activities
 6. Offering diversified activities to support children's holistic development
 Early Childhood Education

Outdoor Education

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OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

• The purpose of the Outdoor Classroom is simple: to increase the number,

• The vision of the Outdoor Classroom is simple: Spending more time

 The basic principle of the Outdoor Classroom is the right

Participating Children and Participating Teachers.

Participation is the key to learning. Real learning only

 2. Engaging in electronic media

 3. Perceiving the outdoor as an unsafe place to play

 4. Isolation from nature and fear of nature

 5. Lack of connection with the world, including with nature

 6. Disdainful approaches to childhood

 7. Widespread use of behavior-modifying drugs in young children

 1. Taking kids outside and making them more active

 2. Engaging children in hands-on, flexibly adaptable outdoor play

 3. Creating opportunities to understand how to safely handle outdoor risks

 6. Offering diversified activities to support children's holistic development

 Early Childhood Education

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