University Presbyterian
Children’s Center
In the year following its complete renovation, the outdoor classroom has brought a renewed sense of joy and vitality to both children and teachers. We continue to adapt and improve the outdoor classroom through observing what the children are using, doing, and engaged in.
Over the course of this last year, we have found that many of the children are visiting the mud kitchen frequently. Through observations we committed this year to enhance our mud kitchen spaces to make them more engaging where rich, deep learning experiences are encouraged through play and exploration. One way we have made the mud kitchens more engaging for the children is we’ve added raised garden beds nearby so children can grow herbs and plants that become their “ingredients” for their mud creations. This hands-on gardening experience gives children a deeper connection to nature and helps to elevate their imaginative play.
Families have been invited to join the gardening process through individual days working with their child’s classroom and through our annual family socials, which created opportunities for parents and children to learn and explore together.
One of the highlights of the year recently was our first ever Family Literacy Night. We transformed the outdoor classrooms into a series of nature related stations such as a storybook walk of In the Tall Tall Grass, alphabet construction in our loose parts building area through the book, Alphabet Under Construction, and overall, the mud kitchens were a big hit.
Teachers set up provisions for the families to explore as they made their way through the mud kitchen. We had books about mud pies, recipe cards for muddy concoctions and incorporated writing with blank recipe cards for parents to leave their children with their own imaginative recipes. It was an amazing experience that allowed families to experience firsthand how outdoor spaces can support learning and play through connecting with nature.
Through these updates and events, our mud kitchens have grown into actively used spaces that connect families, nature, and creativity. By combining gardening, literacy, and open-ended exploration, we continue to provide spaces in which curiosity thrives and wonder grows.
