Arminta Street Early Education Center

Everyone at Arminta Street Early Education Center takes great pride in our Nature Explore outdoor classroom. Everyone at Arminta has noticed many benefits in nature-based play. Our nature-based outdoor environment gives our students opportunities for them to develop in so many domains.

It supports our student’s overall well-being and mental health. Many of the activities in our outdoor classroom are designed for students to play and work cooperatively with their peers. For example, in the loose parts area, students have the opportunity to use their imagination using recycled large and small boxes, tree cookies, logs,pine cones, and other nature-based materials.

This area has given the students opportunities to practice using their negotiation and sharing skills. For example, two students wanted the same cardboard box to build a castle and one student started to scream. Another student comes over to ask what happened. Both students shared their stories of what happened. Then another student ran over and suggested that everyone build two different castles and connect them with one box. At this time more kids joined in and they were working together in making the two giant castles. They connected the castles with the box that the two students were originally fighting over. They were all very proud of their work..