A stick is not a stick in the outdoor classroom. Loose parts like sticks inspire imagination and creative play, moss and bark are selfie art projects, and stones become canvases for garden literacy projects.
Loose parts are found or natural objects that have no specific instructions for play and are highly valued for their imaginative and creative affordances for
Playdough is surprisingly entertaining for kids of all ages. Adding lavender playdough as a sensorial play opportunity in the school garden becomes a delightful way
Thank you to Rene Gualtieri for contributions to this post! Not A Stick Play Having worked at a nature camp, I am very aware of
Story stones for imaginative play Rocks and stones can be considered a “loose part”. That means they do not have a pre-determined story attached to
Earth-friendly Ice Art Learning and playing outdoors has multiple benefits for both children and adults. Teachers and caregivers looking for ways to get kids playing
The emergent curriculum is a valuable tool for student directed inquiry in any outdoor classroom. I often have specific plans for my students that are
Walking, working and playing in nature invites children’s imaginations to create stories that reflect their lived experiences, their wonders and their understandings of the world
A Seed Mandala Art Project Mandalas have a long history of therapeutic use and are often appreciated for having spiritual meaning. There is an enormous
International Mud Day is June 29th this year, and if you are going to have a garden with kids, it makes sense to have a
Fall is the perfect time to reflect on the growing season and have children work with the bounty of the garden and school-yard! Nature crafts
What a fun night with colleagues from the Niagara District School Board! Thank you to all who joined in on our first session of the
If you are looking for some room to play, then get on over to Richmond’s Terra Nova playground! The playground is an extension of the Terra Nova
Thanks to everyone from the The Valley School for such a warm welcome today! What a joy it is to share my love for unstructured
Teaching outside has a long list of challenges, and trying to complete paper crafts in the wind, rain or snow tops my list of tasks that
No spam, seasonal updates only.
I love to garden. I love the peacefulness, I love watching things grow under my care and I love that I can see both immediate and long term results. I
This post is one of a series of posts listing resources available to teachers seeking tools for teaching across the curriculum in their school gardens. This post lists some of
Kids in school means way too much school paper is coming home. Even in this digital age, there is an ungodly amount of paperwork that goes along with sending kids
Bug hotels are an essential addition to any garden, and particularly a children’s garden. There are really only two reasons to build them. One is to attract and house beneficial
Your information is safe. I will never share it with anyone.
