Learning Happens EVERYWHERE!

As the weather becomes more enjoyable, you may find yourself looking for learning opportunities outdoors. One way to bring learning outside is to label four boxes “red, yellow, orange, and green”, and place them in a common area outside. Encourage children to find leaves of each color and place them in the corresponding boxes. This activity strengthens color recognition, gross motor play, and coordination. The children will enjoy the challenge and may even make a contest out of it. After you have collected leaves of each color, you may decide to do an art activity with what the class has collected. You could provide children with different shapes of hole punches and allow them to glue their cut-out leaves onto paper collage-style. This leaf sorting activity combines exercise with learning and art, all while enjoying the cool fall weather!

Let's Go OUTSIDE

Outdoor play provides meaningful sensory experiences. Think about how all 5 senses can awaken when children are playing outside! Children can “feel” what the temperature is like and touch different textures on the playground (rough, smooth, cool, warm,etc.). This helps children learn about themselves and the objects around them. Children can see nature, colors, and friends. Sight helps us to connect information from our other senses to add knowledge about plants, animals, weather, and other parts of nature. A child can see the object he or she touched, seasonal changes or how to safely climb a structure. Children use sounds to understand their environments also. Children also listen to language and tone of voice during interactions to build social skills with peers and adults. Taste and smell can work together in nature. Allowing children to grow fruits and vegetables in a garden will help them develop taste and smell with a variety of foods and provide positive outdoor experiences.

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