Train Station Dramatic Play

As a Reggio-inspired school, we try to incorporate child-initiated, project-based learning (similar to emergent themes) throughout the curriculum and school environment.

As a curriculum coordinator at the school, I try to integrate projects that are taking place in each classroom into the shared-by-all areas of the patio, yard and atelier (project/art studio). 

Currently, our 3 year olds are studying about trains. Last week, we added a train component to our hollow block center on the yard (see above). In a large wicker basket, we set out engineer hats, scarves, and large wooden trains. We also set up a basket of paper, coloring pencils, and books to inspire sketching, drawing and reading about trains (below). Many children designed great trains using the large hollow blocks.

To extend the project, this week we painted a large 'bullet train' in the Project Room. We also learned to sketch trains in our Exploring Art class, added trains and tracks to the free-choice patio environment, and we transformed our dramatic play area into a train station! Enjoyed by all, these activities were specifically aimed at our three year olds to extend and enhance their project. Not to be left out, each of our other classes enjoyed an array of activities that were geared specifically to their ongoing projects and interests!

Painting the bullet train. Furnace boxes are perfect!!

Wagons were set out for train rides and shared motor activities

Our 'bullet train' made in the atelier. Duct taped for durability ;-)

In addition to a set of pre-printed 'train tickets,' we set out paper and coloring pencils for the children to create their own tickets. 

We posted a map of our local Metro on the front of the ticket booth.

Tickets, please!

Incorporating projects into shared spaces not only stimulates learning for the intended class, but enhances the environment and sparks new interests for all the other students in the school.

See, Move, Build, Sketch

I recently attended a conference on The Outdoor Classroom Project here in California. I always love going to seminars because there is always something useful that we can take away from the experience. My "take-away" piece of knowledge this time was the "See, Move, Build, Sketch" model to teaching preschoolers.  I especially love this approach because it can work effectively in teaching nearly any topic.

Though it is fairly self-explanatory, here is the idea in a nutshell. In italics, I have provided our specific plans for implementing this teaching/learning model in the hollow block center of our outdoor classroom. I will use the subject of trains to help illustrate the points since our three-year olds are currently working on trains as a long-term project.

SEE - Show children photos, cards, books and models of the subject you are teaching or of the idea you are hoping to 'inspire'.

Our plan: Hang photos of various trains such as steam locomotives, cargo trains and bullet trains, near the hollow blocks center in the Outdoor Classroom; show photos of engineers, & conductors; set out fiction and non-fiction books about trains; supply a set of large, wooden toy trains for the children to explore with the blocks.


MOVE - BE the subject.

Our plan: Supply engineer hats for the children to wear in the center; line-up chairs near the blocks so the children can pretend they are passengers on a train; encourage children to chug around the yard as if they were trains going on a trip; practice train sounds.


BUILD - Build models of the subject at hand using blocks, play dough, clay, recyclables, or any other appropriate medium.

Our plan: Encourage the children to build trains using the hollow blocks - they could make large-scale trains for multiple children to sit in, small trains using just a few blocks, a train to encompass the chairs, or they could even build tracks for the wooden trains that have been placed in the center.


SKETCH - Encourage the children to draw, sketch, diagram, or illustrate pictures of the subject on hand. Encourage the children to make sketches of the creations they built using the various mediums.

Our plan: Supply clipboards, paper, and pencils for the children to draw and illustrate their hollow block creations; encourage the children to sketch about trains they have see or sketch their own ideas for new trains they would like to design. Hang sketches in the center for other children to see.


Here are some very simple photos of how this teaching/learning model has been used in the outdoor classroom at the Child Education Center in La Canada, California (the founding center of "The Outdoor Classroom Project").

Don't Ditch It...EXTEND It!

Last week I set out a sensory bin filled with beans and cups, envisioning my group of 4's & 5's enthusiastically surrounding the bin and exploring the beans. To my dismay, the kids didn't touch it. Hmm...time to ditch the idea, right? Not quite. Sometimes we are much too quick to replace an activity that doesn't appear to be immediately enticing to children.

To counteract the idea that everything is "disposable" or that all activities should provide "immediate gratification," I believe it is imperative that we try to make small changes in activities to refocus their attention and concentration.  There are times when we can assess what we've given the children and find the missing link that may be the key ingredient to sparking their interest.

So, rather than tossing the beans, this week I mixed in some magnetic and non-magnetic items and added several magnet wands. What a hit! There was a constant stream of children at that bin today and they all enjoyed swirling their wands through the beans to see what they would attract. The activity captured their attention and helped develop crucial skills in focus, observation, and attention. And as a perk, they learned about the scientific properties of magnetism!

Play...Rethink...Extend!

Kindergarten and Algebra

It appears we have been so swayed by the thought that even the young children need to be "academically" ready for kindergarten, that we have been consumed by the idea that in-your-seat-learning, rote memorization, and beyond-their-developmental-ability academics is the best way to teach our youngest learners. It is so much so, that when children do get the chance to go outside, it is viewed simply as a chance to get their "wiggles" out. And then, it is back inside to where the "real" learning takes place. But what does "ready for kindergarten" really mean? Does it mean that children should be able to spew out memorized answers before the teacher even has a chance to cover a concept? Does it mean they should be reading, writing and computing complex algebra to the point they will be bored stiff when the teacher has her turn to introduce the subject? Should we forfeit social skills for push-down academics that WILL once again be covered in kindergarten? My son's preschool teacher expected the kids to voluntarily take time out of their limited hour of playtime to work on math problems such as 4+___=7. And no, they weren't pictorial!! Funny enough, she was confused as to WHY the children didn't want to interrupt their play to come joyfully bounding over to write answer on her whiteboard! Actually, she even mentioned the word "lazy" when it came to my son's resistance to put down the blocks and head over to the algebra! Hmmmm.

Or perhaps, does "ready for kindergarten" mean that when children exit preschool, they will have gained the skills that allow them success in the more structured classroom? According to Chancy and Bruce Educational Resources, Inc., ready for kindergarten means, "the ability to cope, learn, and achieve without undue stress." In fact, according to Dr. Jane Healy, "trying to make children master academic skills for which they do not have the requisite maturation may result in mixed up patterns for learning." Stimulating the cognitive process is certainly encouraged. Learning about the world and the way it works is imperative. But, learning needs to be developmentally appropriate.

Supported by research from leading child development experts, children learn best in a child-initiated, teacher supported, active learning environment that is geared to their individual needs and interests. Just as we wouldn't expect a baby to hold a fork, or allow a 12 year old to drive, we do not expect young children to sit on end learning rote facts under teacher directives. It simply isn't appropriate and it isn't the way they learn best. Experts believe that when children play in a well-planned and purposeful environment, they gain the necessary social skills, focus and attention, confidence and motor skills that prepare them to be successful students in the more structured elementary setting. When children experience an environment built to foster discover, problem solving, and creativity, it creates children who know HOW to learn, who enjoy learning, and who have a positive outlook on school. Through research, we also know that exercise is linked to positive cognitive learning. The Outdoor Classroom is an extension of the indoor learning environment offers children the opportunity to socialize, explore, discover, problem-solve,care for the environment, develop motor functions, and gain a healthy view of nature and the outdoors.

The Outdoor Classroom Concept

There has been a lot of chatter lately regarding the Outdoor Classroom concept. This site will focus primarily on how the concept is being applied within the realm of early childhood, but it can be beneficial to elementary grades and beyond. The concept certainly isn't new...it simply seems forgotten and underused. 

The Outdoor Classroom (aka "the play yard") is a learning environment where teachers provide a selection of thoughtfully planned activities filled with social and cross-curricular learning opportunities. The yard is designed to support positive development of the whole child and allows for pockets of creative, cognitive, quiet, and active play. Included in the Outdoor Classroom would be experiences in dramatic play, sand, water play, sensory activities, nature art, music & movement, blocks & construction, gardening, caring for animals, and art (basically, everything you would find inside the doors of a typical preschool classroom!). 

According to the American Heart Association, children need 60+ minutes of physical activity per day. They need to develop motor skills such as running, climbing, dancing, hopping, jumping, swinging, and balance to gain the coordination needed for strong motor functions and self esteem. Safety is also a factor as children who are physically competent are less likely to get hurt when taking physical risks. However, in addition to physical activity, The Outdoor Classroom is a very unique opportunity to serve both active and quiet children alike. While outside, children can use their whole bodies to learn in a way that isn't possible in a confined indoor environment. Children can be louder, more physically active, messier (we all know that one is popular!), and they have increased feelings of independence. Children also benefit from being in nature and experiencing the natural beauty of the outdoors. This is particularly true for children who are depressed, angry, ADHD, or ADD as studies show that nature has a very calming and therapeutic effect on children (Louv, 2008). Try to think back to your favorite memories. Most often, positive memories will take place outside. In a world where children spend hours indoors and in front of screens, it is more crucial than ever to restore the joy and sense of wonder that comes from being outside.  Please enjoy browsing my website. I am the Outdoor Curriculum Coordinator at a preschool in Southern California and I have a passion for sharing and exchanging information with other educators. I hope you will find the photos and blogs informational and inspirational. Throughout the site you will find tips and ideas for yard design, activities, photos and practices from my own Outdoor Classroom, recipes, related research, and real-life experiences (both good and bad!). At times I will post an abundance of photos, representing an entire thematic unit. At other times I will post a single activity that was either really fun, strengthened a particular skill, or promoted creativity and problem solving. As much as possible, I have tried to include links to other great websites and blogs from fellow educators who have the same passion, creativity and inspiration to make the education of young children a priority. In my blog I have included thoughts, grumbles, and victories on various subjects. Please feel free to send your comments, ideas and questions...this site is for you! Welcome to the Exploring the Outdoor Classroom!