All ‘Bout Children Preschool

All ‘Bout Children Preschool maintains two outdoor playgrounds, separately identified loosely by age ranges, to provide a window into young minds to the wonders and enjoyment that can be found outdoors. Our outdoor classrooms would not be possible if it wasn’t for our many generous parents, families and teachers that have donated outdoor classroom items, funding, as well as time toward making our outdoor classrooms better every year.

We’ve graduated from 4-inch thick “tree cookie” paths to a little more sturdy brick, stump and stepping-stone paths and are continuing to overcome the ever-present muddy areas from stomping little feet; at least in the areas we don’t want mud! We even have “stump chairs” made and donated by a grandparent of one of our students.

All ‘Bout Children Preschool believes in all the benefits of outdoor exploration and getting dirty. We believe children today are not engaged enough with outdoor activities and enjoy presenting the natural world as both fun and educational. Our outdoor classroom areas include water and mud exploration areas to “get dirty”, dramatic play areas for toddlers to play and pretend, art and music activity areas to stimulate the mind and plenty of open and climbing areas to be energetic and coordinated within.

Our playground includes a ‘willow hut’; willow trees / branches roughly woven into a hut enclosure form; that children can enter and play within, and our music areas include both formal musical instruments, tubular chimes, wooden xylophone and large percussion drum, as well as simply mounted pots and pans to bang on. Art areas include easels and tables for the children to paint and draw as well as a chalkboard to share their visions.

The climbing areas include traditional playground equipment as well as cut log-stumps, log-balance-beam, in-ground slide and large tires half-buried upright for the children to climb on and crawl through. There is also mud and water areas where messes are encouraged! Dramatic play areas include a house and kitchen sets as well as net-tents in the summertime. And every year we plant a sensory garden with items such as lambs’ ears and sunflowers and a small raised vegetable garden for flowers, fruits and vegetables.

This coming year we have planned to enhance the play area with new riding equipment for all ages and we also plan to continue with our willow ‘forest’ that will be woven into tunnels and huts over the coming years.