Enjoying the Outdoors
by Leah Tablazon, T2
"There must be provision for the child to have contact with nature; to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony and the beauty in nature." - Maria Montessori
One of the sensitive periods in the toddler age group is called, "movement." Here at school, we have a beautiful outdoor environment that offers activities to improve gross and fine motor skills as well as coordination. Our outdoor environment allows the children to walk, run, jump, roll, climb, push, pull, kick, and stretch, which are essential for developing skills like balance, depth perception, and coordination.
The outdoors allows children to develop social skills through learning how to share, wait for their turn, or have a conversation with friends. It provides them with vast opportunities to explore, be creative, develop decision making skills, successfully take on leadership skills, and to make choices about how they want to make use of their time.
The outdoors also provides opportunities for sensory learning - feeling a cool breeze, splashing through puddles, feeling the sand, and touching the bark of a tree. It also allows them to learn how to be gentle with friends and nature.
Just like when we are inside the classroom, we do have a few things to observe when we are outside:
Sand stays in the sandpit
Shoes stay on your feet
We use gentle hands with nature
We use gentle hands with each other
