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When you were a child, were you curious about nature around you? Why does the sun shine? What is sand? Why can fish swim in water? Why does grass grow here... Our boundless curiosity and desire to explore led us as children to venture out into the big world.
No two places in nature are exactly the same - each has its own unique aspect, and the natural world is ever-changing, offering children a vast array of learning resources. As a result, more and more educators strive to bring the experience of exploring outdoor play as a child to today's 'nature-deprived' children.
At Hiba Academy Nantong, we place great emphasis on outdoor learning for our children. There are many features of outdoor play and exploratory learning that distinguish it from traditional indoor teaching. Where can we get the light? Can we dig a tunnel in the mud kitchen? Why does a small mushroom grow in the grass? Why do leaves fall from the trees? Nature can create opportunities for children to play and explore and learn with less effort than teachers doing the hard work of setting up the environment and putting in materials. Children are also more likely to be fully engaged in the process of exploring to their heart's content.
During outdoor playtime, children use their senses of sight, hearing, smell and touch to experience their surroundings, and exercise helps them develop a strong body and a healthy mind. In group outdoor activities, children learn a number of skills such as interacting with others, cooperation, leadership, rulemaking and compliance, which are also important ways for children to develop their social skills. They can also learn to use the resources around them wisely, to ask for help and to communicate and collaborate when they encounter difficulties.
Just last week, with the enthusiasm of the children leading the way, our parents and friends also became "children" exploring the outdoors, following in the footsteps of the children and experiencing the infinite possibilities of outdoor exploration and the outdoor learning routine. HNN hosted their first ‘Back to School’ day, where family members joined the students in explorative, outdoor play. Draw and paint on plastic canopies, splash in the pool, have a 'mud fight', make a seesaw in the sandpit, roll around on the lawn and cycle together through the outdoor area... The children introduced their outdoor space to their family members one by one, and they were proud to be the "guides"! Family members also gained a lot from this outdoor activity as they were invited to explore together.
Current Happenings
Nursery‘s outside space is so much fun! As soon as the event started, the children were eager to introduce their world to their family members.
This is our outdoor kitchen. It's where we normally rely on to recharge our energy when we're tired of playing! This is where we "cook" and entertain our friends and the children carefully demonstrated the process to their families, with everyone enjoying a warm welcome.
This is our outdoor creative space, complete with a waterproof awning that EY2 decorated themselves. Families were invited to come in and create with us using paints and other creative resources. The children introduced the grownups to the various colouring tools: brushes, rollers, and a spray can was a handy tool.
Current Happenings
It's too bad we don't have a camping trip outside on such a nice day! Never mind, some children used large scale resources to make a tent with their family. Interesting thoughts and questions swirled around. "What kind of tent do we need to pitch?", "What materials do you think we'll need?" "How do can you secure it?" With the children guiding the grown ups with questions and thoughts, the adults managed to set up a simple tent!
Current Happenings
Sometimes if children climbed up to a high place, parents might be worried and share these emotions: "You can't climb that high! You'll fall down!" But risky play is an important part of exploration in Nursery, and our families are developing clearer and stronger understanding of the risks of outdoor activities. After recent workshops highlighting the value of these opportunities, families were able to support their children in choosing to climb to the top with their own muscles and balance!
There's so much space outdoors! Let me show off my " Kung Fu "! Even when wielding a stick, adults didn't just say, "No! You can't do that! It's too dangerous!". Instead, we chose to warn more specifically to identify risks accurately, saying "protect yourself, watch your space and protect your other friends”.
True learning is always closely linked to the active involvement of the body's activities, i.e. muscles, bones, nerves and senses. Children's learning is never a static process; it happens quietly in their daily activities. Outdoor activities have a natural location and playing outdoors can help children to actively translate ideas into behaviour as they play. Together with the teachers, parents observe and capture the children's interests and seize the moment to guide them. As a result, the children are prompted to play more deeply in order to develop healthy play.
