The West Hill School

Throughout the year, The West Hill School’s Sallie S.Teaf Playscape has remained a vital part of our
preschool program—nurturing exploration, creativity, and connection with nature across seasons.

A highlight this year was hosting our annual Family Night outdoors in the Playscape, transforming it into an interactive STEAM experience for children and their families. Stations included STEM block building, designing ball ramps using up to five blocks and balls, exploring sink-and-float concepts in the mud kitchen, pretend play around roasting s’mores in the wooded area, digging for buried treasure in the sand room, creating sand art necklaces, dance party with bubbles on the stage, and ending the evening with a drum circle around the track. These activities offered families a hands-on window into how children learn through play in our outdoor environment.

Throughout the year, our children have continued to bring the Playscape to life in new and evolving ways. From building snowmen in the winter to birdwatching behind the viewing wall in the spring, the Playscape has supported meaningful, seasonal experiences. We’ve observed deeper engagement in pretend play, especially in Messy Materials and the Garden area, where children have built forts, created fairy homes, and cultivated curiosity about natural elements.

Whether mixing potions in the mud kitchen, performing on the stage, or quietly observing nature, the children consistently demonstrate how this thoughtfully designed space nurtures their growth, imagination, and joy in learning.

 

Learn more about this classroom on their certification page!