A preschool outdoor learning environment is important to children as it helps them learn better. It encourages them to be more creative and curious. They will be able to do better academically, mentally, and physically to enjoy a healthier life. Besides that, it helps to boost their mental and physical health.
A study compares students who are involved with the wildlife refuge system to students who learned in a fully indoor environment. The result showed that the children who learned in an outdoor environment had higher test scores than the students who studied in a fully indoor classroom.
Designing a preschool outdoor learning environment helps create an environment that encourages children to explore nature. But when we are planning a preschool outdoor, what consideration should we take into. We will be discussing this in this article.
Things To Consider When Designing Your Preschool Outdoor
1. Understand Your Preschool Outdoor Ground And Community
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Before you come out with an idea for designing your preschool outdoor, take a walk through the grounds at different times of the day. Consider the characteristics and potentials of the ground.
Create a spot where the teacher and children can gather for an outdoor classroom teaching. The best is to locate it near the school for easy access to office supplies and materials for the outdoor activities. Other teachers can easily assist if needed. Take the size of the group into consideration for seating arrangements. You may need benches for the larger group while picnicking tables or chess tables for the smaller group. Younger kids might love sitting on cushions.
2. Consider Visibility and Supervision For Preschool Outdoor
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A preschool outdoor environment is an excellent place for the children to learn about risk and their physical limitations. But the supervisor needs to minimize the risk of a child getting hurt while playing outdoors. You can help make the supervisor’s job easier by having good planning.
A preschool outdoor with a piece of well-designed equipment can help to reduce risk and also allows the children to have a productive play experience. When planning a preschool outdoor learning environment, be sure that equipment is in areas with high visibility and separate age groups. This can help to minimize the risk of injuries.
3. Incorporate Natural Elements For Preschool Outdoor
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We have mentioned earlier that children can benefit from nature play. With devoted outdoor time, it can help the child relieve stress and assist in social, physical, and cognitive development. When designing a preschool outdoor learning environment, you can easily incorporate natural elements into the environment. You can simply add a small stone pathway or plant a tree.
A preschool outdoor environment combined with natural and manufactured pieces creates natural learning opportunities that benefit the children. Incorporating manufactured outdoor play equipment with a combination of natural areas allows children to have more learning opportunities.
4. Safety and Risk Management For Preschool Outdoor
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Whether it is an indoor or an outdoor learning environment, safety and risk management are important. Especially when it is an outdoor learning environment, you will need to survey for potential hazards when it comes to the outdoor. While you are outdoor, you need to continuously assess the risk as weather conditions change.
Before moving outdoors, you will have to indicate boundaries and safety guidelines to the children. Inform the office that you will be outside. Do a headcount before moving to the outdoor, and do another headcount before going back to the indoor classroom. This is to ensure that all the children are accounted for.
Children are curious. You will have to let them know if they find any unusual thing, they need to leave it and inform you. You need to be aware of children with allergies or other special needs. Most important is not to talk to people that they don’t know.
5. Preschool Outdoor: Incorporate Ways for Children to Problem-Solve
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When creating a preschool outdoor learning environment, it is good to incorporate ways for children to solve problems. Themes such as technology and engineering revolve around problem-solving. Try out products such as sandbox, large blocks, or gear panels. By constructing a large tower from blocks and the building falls, the children can learn to solve the problem by redesigning their tower and rebuilding it. Through playing the gear panel, they can discover how these systems work.
6. Preschool Outdoor: Incorporate Musical Play
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Exposing children to music at an early age allows them to develop their talent. Not only can you let them appreciate music, but music also allows the child to express themselves, creativity, emotions, and cognitive development. When designing your preschool outdoor learning space, you can consider creating a space for musical play. You can incorporate multiple pieces of outdoor musical equipment into the space. They can be placed in a semi-circle or circle. The placement of the musical instruments is important as it encourages the children to create music together.
Advantages of An Preschool Outdoor Learning Environment
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- Kids get sunshine: The human body also needs sunlight to produce vitamin D, but too much sun exposure can cause burns or increase the risk of developing skin cancer. Kids who get some sun daily are likely to sleep better, be in better moods and have healthier immune systems.
- A screen-free environment: The average kid spends between five and seven hours in front of a screen each day. It is important to let them rest their eyes and connect with nature. An outdoor learning environment will be a perfect environment for screen-free. They are encouraged to interact and communicate directly with their peers and teachers.
- More chances to socialize: You need to be quiet in a typical indoor classroom. There will be limited time to socialize in an average school day. It is not enough for kids to fully develop their social skills. They have more freedom when they are out. They will learn to socialize with their peers better.
- Less stressed: Kids who spend time in nature have less stress. Kids who spend more time outdoors had lower stress hormone cortisol levels.
Speak with The Experts
Planning to get started at your kindergarten but have no idea about it?
Childcare Center Renovation Singapore is a reliable company for renovation and interior design. They have about ten years of experience in this field and have a good reputation among customers.
Call us now to get your desired kindergarten design ideas now!
