The Nature Explore Classroom at
Smart Kids
At Smart Kids in Taylorsville, we are excited to share the transformation of our outdoor space into a Nature Explore Classroom-a child-led learning environment designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and hands-on discovery.
With the support or our amazing families and the enthusiasm of our children, we’ve turned sections of our playground into engaging outdoor learning areas. Together, we’ve planted flowers and vegetables, built with natural materials like rocks and wooden blocks, and explored the wonders of nature – including observing real bird nests.
The children also had the opportunity to build and paint their own birdhouses and wooden cut-outs, adding a personal touch to our outdoor classroom. Our dedicated teachers thoughtfully integrate literacy, math, and science into these nature-based activities. Children measure and count as they garden, compare sizes and shapes while building, explore cause and effect through water and sand play, and engage in storytelling and journaling to reflect on what they see and do outdoors. This approach turns outdoor play into rich, meaningful learning – nurturing the whole child through hands-on exploration and discovery.
We are also grateful to the parents who donated materials like soil, plants and gardening tools, and to those who took time out their busy schedules to help the children plant flowers and vegetables. Their involvement made this project possible, and our nature explore classroom has become a joyful space where learning in nature has never been so fun.
