The Nature Explore Classroom at
Browns Family Childcare, LLC
“Instead of sitting in a classroom teaching children about our natural world, why not just take them outside and show them” -Lindsey Brown
At Brown’s Family Childcare, LLC, I strive to get my students outside daily in all weather and seasons. I believe that children should experience the changes in our environment that come with all seasons and weather. Children’s innate curiosities ignite when they are exposed to opportunities to experience and explore the natural environment around them. Our outdoor classroom provides a space for children to explore, observe and engage with all their senses and experience wildlife such as insects, woodland animals, birds and worms and flower and vegetable gardens that attract pollinators.
Children can choose a variety of activities, such as, relaxing with a good book, journaling their bird & pollinator observations, collect, sort and classify natural items, balance and walk on log stumps, experience magnetism and cause and effect on our new outdoor magnetic wall or create an amazing piece of artwork.
Our daily walks in the woods have turned into excursions that we look forward to and provide many
learning opportunities, such as learning about different cloud formations, insect and plant names and the identification of tracks that animals left in the snow or mud. My goal is to instill the love of nature into the lives of my students by providing them with the freedom to explore our outdoor world and experience everything it has to offer while teaching them to care for it and use it to help boost their mental health by digging in the dirt, sitting in the sun, sifting through water and baring their feet to the earth.
Parent Testimonies of Browns Family Childcare, LLC:
“We love that our child gets outdoors almost every day and is learning valuable nature knowledge while having fun and experiencing new things!” -The Kuhls
“Nature is the best teacher! It is so awesome to see all the ways the children incorporate outdoor
items into their play. The best classroom is the one where the roof is the sky and Easton has definitely
thrived in the outdoor learning environment!”
-Leah Stebbins
“Lindsey’s ability to fully incorporate the intricacies and beauty of nature, rain, snow, or shine, into the daily curriculum of a group of small children is nothing short of miraculous. She manages to build their
experience and education around daily ventures into nature and conducts it all in a manner which is fun, loving, exhilarating, and engaging. We feel absolutely blessed to have Lindsey help develop in our daughter, and now son, a fascination and appreciation for the outdoors through her nature-based
curriculum.” -Angela Rosen
Special acknowledgements go out to the following families for their help in making our outdoor classroom perfect! The Stebbins donated bags of sand, the Clarks donated tin cans and a big tractor tire for our new sand box and the Kuhls donated tin cans for our music area. Thank you all for your donations!
