The Nature Explore Classroom at

Our preschool outdoor classroom is designed to meet children at their developmental levels. Our outdoor spaces are filled with trees that provide natural shade. The outdoor area contains a sand and water area with manual pumps for water exploration. The manual pump offers children the chance to use their upper 

bodies while also allowing for water conservation. There are steps, a climbing wall, and hills allowing children to move their bodies in many different ways. On the hills, children are often observed rolling or running down them alone or with a group of friends. 

A big apple tree is prominent on our playground. The children love to pick the apples during the summer months and often eat them for snacks. The apple tree provides many learning opportunities about how different fruits and vegetables grow. There are also many different plants that grow throughout our playground, along with potted flowers that the children love to water with watering cans. During summer months, you might see children running through the sprinkler, splashing in the water table, or stomping in the mud. During winter months, children are building snow forts, sledding, and exploring snow and icicles. Recently, we have added more wood cookies, branches and logs, many donated by our families. Wood picnic tables can be found under our gazebo, used for mealtimes and small group activities. Wooden glider swings are where you often find a teacher with a group of children, singing and telling stories to each other. 

Our focus on curriculum happening outdoors is beneficial to our children and staff. It lowers stress levels and allows exploration and learning that is self-driven and powerful. Making sure that children and teachers have the materials they need and that are readily available has been important to our success. Wooden storage shelves and sheds provide us with those tools. 

One of our favorite things is to host potlucks for families and staff, utilizing our outdoor spaces. These potlucks are typically held in the spring and fall. Throughout the year, we also put updates in our monthly newsletters to share information about our outdoor spaces with families or to request nature items, such as wood cookies, rocks, sticks, and pinecones.