Outdoor Learning .

At TPS Early Years the Outdoor Classroom’s vision is simple: children benefit from spending more time outdoors, especially in natural places. Its goal is equally simple: to increase the quantity, quality, and benefits of outdoor experiences for children. Learning takes place outdoors that doesn’t occur indoors. It is important, then, that outdoor environments be as richly and thoughtfully equipped as indoor ones. Children should be able to move seamlessly between indoors and outdoors; their play and learning should be as easy in one place as the other. We believe that whatever we’re doing inside can take place outside. Storytime? We can go outside. Science experiments or math manipulatives? We can go outside. Writing? Painting? Singing? Playing games? Out, out, OUT! Our outdoor space is carefully designed to include Reggio inspired outdoor classrooms, riding paths, vegetable and herb gardens for sensorial explorations, construction zones for big project learning, mud kitchens, sensory walk ways, tree house, and so much more. A fundamental guiding principle of the Outdoor Classroom is children’s right to initiate their own activities. Children need to explore, imagine, try new things, and learn alone or with friends. Ultimately, what any of us learns most deeply is what we have explored “by ourselves.”