Exploring the Outdoor Classroom: Christmas

It Not "Just Recess" Anymore!

Teachers often heave a sigh of relief when they take their students out to recess. Finally! The children can burn off the pent up energy they had been accruing for the past few hours indoors. But what if we change our outlook on outdoor play time? What if we create an outdoor environment that offered all of the learning opportunities that one would typically find indoors? What if children could run out to a well-planned play yard to find experiences in math, science, nature, dramatic play, water, building and construction, sensory activities, physical development, art and music? What if they play yard developed critical thinking, discovery, problem solving, and cooperative skills? The result would be that we wouldn't have "just recess" anymore. We would have The Outdoor Classroom!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Outdoor Nativity - Dramatic Play

In the spirit of the season, we joyfully hauled out all of the nativity-style clothes we could muster for the children to explore in our new Nativity dramatic play area. We supplied wings for the angels, sheer fabric, gowns for Mary and cloaks for Joseph, headbands for the shepherds, fancy hats and gifts for the wise men, blankets, stuffed animals, and of course, Jesus and the manger (a doll and cradle). We had two bales of hay to define the area. Sounds great, but in fact, it looked...well....pathetic.

Truly, it looked like two bales of hay and a crate of clothes.

So, what to do for our sad looking corner? Bring on the butcher paper and erect a stable!!! For the final touch, we just added a HUGE glittery star that hangs from the ceiling! Cue the Christmas music, and HARK, we have an inviting dramatic play that is fit for the season!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Christmas Sensory Bin

I have been envying several very cute and well-put together mini-sensory bins across the blogosphere lately, so I finally decided to make one of my own. I went to the 99 Cent Store and stocked up on a few Christmas items - plastic candy canes, a batch of erasers, mini ornaments, bells, glittery snowflakes, Christmas themed kaleidoscopes, and more. I also threw in some pompoms and set all the goodies on top of rice. Several of the children investigated each item in the bin. Two little girls lined up all of the items on the edge of the table. When I asked what they were doing, they replied, "setting up the presents!"

This Christmas bin is what I would call a "small world" or mini-sensory bin. For some PHENOMENAL large-scale bins, visit Tom at Sand and Water Tables. He takes sensory bins to entirely new level of engaging!!!!