Expanding Our Classrooms to the Great Outdoors

Have you ever asked your child what their favourite subject is in school? Did they look up at you and say happily ‘Recess’? We thought so! Although we may want our kids to choose Math or English, children naturally love the outdoors, and that’s a great thing! The benefits of learning outside of a typical indoor classroom environment are amazing for our kid’s overall health and wellbeing.

“Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn”.

 – Benjamin Franklin

For years, teachers have been looking at new and innovative ways to bring excitement back into their classrooms to ensure that their students are always engaged. The year 2020 has brought unprecedented challenges and at a time when we feel so disconnected from each other, it becomes difficult to stay creative and connected with children at school. 

But what if we considered the conditions that children already value and feel comfortable in, and implemented that into their learning? Or better yet, what if we made the switch to an outdoor space, where kids can feel invigorated and stay inspired in a place that promotes engagement in a safe setting?

Our friends over at Landscape Structures have come up with some incredible solutions that showcase how you can expand your learning space to the great outdoors!

Did you know these outdoor classrooms have already been implemented by multiple schools across North America? Landscape Structure’s custom Permalene® desks provide a colourful, convenient seating area for kids and they have been designed to accommodate individuals using mobility devices. They also offer a hook for students to hang their bags as well as a shelf to store classroom materials. There are plenty of other seating options available, such as the Acorn seats, log and mushroom steppers, the Stepper™ rock climber, Facet® steppers and more.

Booker T. Washington Elementary – Tampa, FL USA

Prince George’s County Employee’s Childcare Center – Upper Marlboro, MD USA

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Ballard County Memorial Middle School – Barlow, KY USA

Now more than ever, there is a need for outdoor learning environments that provide plenty of space between students as communities safely get back to learning in-person.

There are so many options when planning an outdoor classroom, and our team at ABC Recreation is here to bring your design ideas to life! We can work with you from start to finish to help make an outdoor learning space work for you. With multiple inclusive options for seating arrangements, shade coverings, and other unique add-ons from Landscape Structures, the opportunities for creativity are truly endless. Contact the team at ABC Recreation today to learn more about outdoor classrooms or to get started on your next project.