Our new playground brought so much excitement and new learning opportunities. The recent addition of grass has pushed this learning further as we navigate playground maintenance as co-learners with the children.
Tasked with watering the new sod twice daily and filling irrigation bags for the trees twice a week, educators saw the opportunity for children to have autonomy in taking care of their environment. Children were quick to offer their help holding the spray nozzle, holding open the irrigation bags for the trees, and reminding their peers that the grass wasn't ready to be stepped on yet. It wasn't long before watering cans were being filled with puddle water to reuse the water built up around the playground.
What may seem like just responsibilities we have in maintaining our playground actually offers a variety of learning outcomes. Filling watering cans, carrying them around the playground, and pouring water are all part of the transporting and trajectory schema. Schemas are a pattern of behaviour that solidify neuro-pathways in the brain. Giving children the opportunity to take ownership and responsibility over their playground and the space to tend to the needs of the natural environment builds empathy, independence, and teaches the importance of caring rather than destroying nature. Lifecycles and other science opportunities present themselves through observing and understanding how plants grow, where fruit comes from, and how seasons change.
The outdoor environment is an extension of our classroom. As warm weather approaches, we are looking forward to spending more time outside enjoying the learning opportunities our playground offers and taking some of our favourite indoor materials outside too.
