This month at RisingOaks Early Learning | St. Brigid, the Preschool 2 classroom is continuing to grow and learn from all the knowledge Jill and Kristie brought from their visit with Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds last month.
When they came for their visit, they provided our playground with a variety of different learning tools and opportunities. They brought bowls, spoons, chalk, shovels and mallets for our sandbox. On the grass area, they set up crates, tubes and balls along with a large rope. Finally, our wacky posts had a variety of straps on them so we could practice some balancing skills.
Since then, our Preschool 2 room has tried to continue using some of those items that we have available to us. The children were provided with crates, tubes, balls and a couple planks we found in the shed. We also found some bowls and have been enjoying using them with water to make positions, muffins and cupcakes. The children have had a big interest in using the mud kitchen to “cook and bake” in. They collect their bowls, and use shovels to scoop sand into it.
Once their “foods” are finished cooking and baking, they pretend to open a shop and sell all their baked goods. The educators have stepped back to watch the children continue collecting materials to use for their cooking. They have asked to use wood chips and grass. The educators have also provided them with some flour, cinnamon, and glitter. This allows the children to use the materials they desire during their play.
We want to thank Bienenstock for coming in and teaching us how we can use some of these materials. We will continue to gather more materials to enhance our outdoor environment. We can’t wait to see what the children will come up with next!
