This month at RisingOaks Early Learning | St. Patrick, the children have been excited to explore our brand-new infant and toddler playground! The JKK group has especially enjoyed discovering the many play opportunities it offes such as, digging in the sand, exploring the little hut, and taking turns on the slide.

Climbing up the hill to reach the slide gave the children a chance to strengthen their gross motor skills, while practicing patience and turn-taking as they waited for their turn to go down. The addition of bubbles brought extra joy—children’s laughter filled the air as they shouted “BUBBLES!” and chased them through the playground.

Spending time in this natural outdoor space also encouraged the children to notice and respect the world around them. They carefully walked around a spiderweb on the ground so as not to disturb its tiny resident, and some stood in awe, observing ants marching across the logs. In the sandbox, children experimented with tools to shape the sand into hills and castles, or to dig deep holes with sand drills—proudly testing how far they could go.

Through these experiences, the children not only built their physical skills with plenty of big-body play, but also developed a growing sense of independence, curiosity, and belonging in natural spaces.