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Parental Involvement & Nature Based Learning

Early childhood educators are often advocating for supported and increased outdoor active play to help families be more active. Dietze, B., & Kashin, D. (2019). Outdoor and nature play in early childhood education. North York, Ontario: Pearson Canada. It is important for educators to educate families about the importance and benefits outdoor learning provides children not only for their health, but for future social, cognitive and personal development. 

As I reflected on some possibilities to why parental involvement might not be as prevalent all came back to lack of resources and knowledge of early learning and the benefits of it. As we know, the outdoor environment is the classroom for a child to play and learn in. However, what sort of resources would a family have if they lived in an apartment, in the down town core? The lack of community parks, and open spaces surrounding them would largely impact the amount of outdoor time, and family involvement outside. Another factor that may arise hence causing lack of parental involvement would be the lack of outdoor supplies and equipment due to funding purposes. 

It is very important as a community worker to be aware of all resources open and available to families. Different organizations such as the snow suit fund, and community facilities are always open to support families with the resources they need to be comfortable while outside and learning together. http://snowsuitfund.com Another helpful resource would be to encourage parents to attend different group play times outdoors in a community park or school yard. 

According to research showed by Susan R. Sy, Allen W. Gottfried, and Adele Eskeles Gottfried in their article “A Transactional Model of Parental Involvement and Children’s Achievement from Early Childhood through Adolescence”, children who have the interaction and involvement from their parents at a very young age shows significant advantages in literacy skills, social and cognitive skills. Sy, S. R., Gottfried, A. W., & Gottfried, A. E. (2013). A Transactional Model of Parental Involvement and Childrens Achievement from Early Childhood through Adolescence. Parenting, 13(2), 133-152. 

When conversing with parents about the importance of outdoor play and interaction, it is helpful to provide some ideas and tricks to help them become more involved: 

-Scavenger hunts outdoors - Yoga outside - Creating art outdoors - Nature walks - creating a maze outdoors using natural materials and - supporting the learning environments with an assortment of loose parts. 

Photos sourced from: https://rhythmsofplay.com/nature-scavenger-hunt-sensory-card/ 

https://premeditatedleftovers.com/naturally-frugal-mom/activities-to-teach-kids-about-nature/#_a5y_p=6261909

https://mothernatured.com/nature-play/build-a-maze-using-sticks/

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                  The Outdoor Learning Environment 

Outdoor learning happens when the environment around the children is set up strictly for learning and creativity to occur. Without the proper resources or materials, there could be a large gap in creative play and or resources for them to practise their problem solving skills. As a educator it is very important to have the children constantly engaged and working together during their play. It is our role to examine the yard, materials, and or lack their off and how we can enhance the play and outdoor learning environment. 

While examining this photo above, I was able to gather so many amazing resources set in the yard and what sort of learning it would provide the children. 

Social/ emotional learning: There are many flour pots and plants blooming throughout the yard, which will help the children develop and understanding of caring for plants, responsibility and working together to maintain healthy plant life. 

Collaboration: By placing the loose parts around the yard, ( like the stools, wheels, mats, etc) it provides a stage for the children to grow and collaborate together during their play. It is important for educators to be aware of the materials they place out for the children and think about if it will produce play, or prevent it. 

Sensory leanring: Taking a closer look into this photo, I was able to identify many objects with an assortment of textures and sensory experiences. This is a wonderful opportunity as an educator to explain thoughts feelings to the children using disruptive language. This is also a wonderful opportunity for the children to make connections to other objects with similar textures, feeling, and smells. 

Outdoor learning spaces are a wonderful addition to incorporate in a child’s life. Children crave being outside and exploring their natural elements. Dietze, B., & Kashin, D. (2019). Outdoor and nature play in early childhood education. North York, Ontario: Pearson Canada. This photograph is a wonderful example of how simple, yet important outdoor learning spaces are. 

Photo sourced from : https://childhood101.com/play-space-ideas-a-backyard-bus/

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Why bringing the outdoors inside is not a substitute for outdoor play.

Play is a part of children’s natural development (Dietze & Kashin, 2018).  Children learn through hands on play experiences.  Early childhood education has started to reflect this through the implementation of play-based early learning, planned and free play activities and experiences.  Unfortunately, the same is not true for outdoor nature-based learning. Throughout my experience as an ECE, I have worked with a range of different age groups, from infants to primary school.  Too often the weather was deemed “too cold” or whenever there was a little bit of rain, children would be restricted to playing inside and not allowed to experience play in different types of weather conditions.  On these days, children’s outdoor play opportunities were limited to experiencing different weather through looking out the window.  Watching the rain instead of playing in it because it’s wet or being kept out of the snow because its too cold, is not allowing children to experience nature and the natural world as they should.  When children are given the opportunities to play in different types of weather, they build a resilience to these different conditions.   Adults need to provide children with the opportunities and environments to naturally explore and learn through hands on experiences.  

(Kable, 2010).

Philosopher and theorist, Rousseau, stated that children are good, and they are curious and competent learners.  Rousseau stressed the importance of allowing children to take their learning in their own direction through natural exploration and hands on learning.  He also stated that children need to be provided with opportunities and time to run around and play freely, i.e. to repeatedly fall so that they will develop resilience.  

Children miss out on too many different learning experiences and opportunities that the indoors does not offer. Furthermore, studies show that exposure to fresh air, sunlight, and nature, improves both mental and physical health (Conversational Receptionists, 2018).  Sunlight helps your body produce natural vitamin D and helps to fight infections (Conversational Receptionists, 2018).  Exposure to fresh air and sunlight also boosts people’s moods by releasing the “happy hormone” called serotonin (Conversational Receptionists, 2018).

Additionally, children are developing, strengthening, and mastering a wide range of developmental domains through outdoor, nature-based early learning.  Children’s play and learning opportunities should not be limited to the indoors when there are so many opportunities and adventures just waiting to be explored and experienced by children as close as their own backyard.

(Kable, 2010).

Check out this website that features a picture infographic about  why science suggests that people need to spend time outdoors along with some statistics: https://www.kent-teach.com/Blog/post/2016/10/22/why-science-says-you-must-spend-time-outdoors.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2LOVPRvcwmF2O92twwgfo4cz0cMRFO8b3vMGCt8Bosvk_HLQNHISG1rfU    

References  

Conversational Receptionists.  (2018). 4 Benefits You Get from Sunlight and Fresh Air. Retrieved from  Conversational Receptionists:  https://www.conversational.com/4-benefits-get-from-sunlight-fresh-air/?fbclid=IwAR2LOVPRvcwmF2O92twwgfo4cz0cMRFO8b3vMGCt8Bosvk_HLQNHISG1rfU

Dietze, B., & Kashin, D.  (2018). Outdoor and nature play in early childhood education.  North-York: Pearson Canada Inc.

Kable, J. (2010, April 13). How  to Create a Natural Outdoor Play Space. Part 1. Retrieved from Let the  children play:  http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/2010/04/8-tips-for-creating-inspiring-outdoor.html

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Importance of Nature- Based Learning

Taylor Clarke

When thinking of the importance of connecting children to nature and the learning that occurs, the amount of benefits that children can develop through nature based learning is amazing. Some of those benefits include; learning about their self and abilities, develop a sense of creativity, develop various health benefits, develop social skills when communicating with other children and educators, develop a sense of well-being while connected to nature, develop a sense of independence when negotiating their unfamiliar equipment, and the ability to explore and extend their learning their risky experiences (FAWNS, 2018). Ensuring that educators and parents do not limit children’s time to really connect and explore nature is essential as outdoor learning supports multiple domains (Nature Learning Initiative, 2012). According to class notes; observing, documenting and interpretation is essential in a success for outdoor learning environment (NAT4352, 2018). When observing an outdoor space and how the children are using the space it aids in the development of the overall outdoor space and how educators can manipulate it to benefit the children. 

Fawns, 2018. Seven benefits of outdoor play for children. Retrieved from https://www.fawns.co.uk/blog-posts/seven-benefits-outdoor-play-children/

Nature Learning Initiative, 2012. Benefits of connecting children with nature. Retrieved from https://naturalearning.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Benefits-of-Connecting-Children-with-Nature_InfoSheet.pdf

NAT4352, 2018. Brightspace. Retrieved from  https://brightspace.algonquincollege.com/d2l/le/content/95419/viewContent/1887930/View

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Risky Play

Taylor Clarke 

“Letting your kids engage in risk is not about being daring or dangerous at all - It’s about letting your kids test their own limits in reasonable ways” (Janson, 2015). 

Parents and educators tend to think that if their child climbs a tree, rolls down a hill or even climbing up a steep hill is dangerous. What these educators and parents don’t understand is that there is multiple benefits to inviting children to participate in risky play. These benefits include; ability to regulate emotions like fear and anger more, learn a sense of self when doing what is comfortable and stepping out of comfort zones, and building trust with adults when knowing they are there to support them through risky play. It is important for educators to step back and provide children with trust that you are there to support them, bite your tongue when using words such as” thats dangerous”, “be careful”, “don’t do that you could get hurt”, and encourage children to step out of their comfort zone when ready to explore new challenges and overcome them on their own (Janson, 2015). 

Janson, 2015. Why risky play is good for your kids. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/parents/learning/view/why-risky-play-is-good-for-your-kids

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Children of Eastern Ontario conducted a study on Canadian children, and their ability to play, or lack thereof. Describing that children are not only inactive but are losing their innate drive to engage in physical pursuits. Unstructured play and screen time, are the main causes of the lack of play according to the study.

“They’re losing these opportunities to just engage in active play where they can develop some of these imaginative skills, where they learn a lot of social skills. Also their risk-taking and knowing their own personal limitations and challenging themselves, they’re not getting those same exposures.” (Leigh Vanderloo, 2018).

References: Young, L. (2018). Are Canadian kids losing the ability to play? New study suggests a problem. Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/4521994/physical-activity-children-play-canada/

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Taking Playtime Seriously: In Natural Environments

“Play embraces children’s total experience. They use it to tell stories; to be funny and silly; to challenge the world; to imitate it; to engage with it; to discover and understand it, and to be social. They also use play to explore their inmost feelings” (Jenkinson 2002)

I believe, many people view play as a means to, well just play; however, it is only until you step into the world of a child that you are able to see and experience all the learning play can bring, as children are naturally drawn to the outdoors and curious beings. Early childhood is a critical time for establishing a strong foundation of healthy habits that will shape children’s physical and psychological well-being both in the present and future (Frost, 2010; Sanders, 2006). Children need to be encouraged by their parents and teachers and educators to be outdoors, to embrace it and all that it has to offer. Educators are in a position to be facilitators; to provide time and opportunities and scheduled time for children to be outdoors, doing so Increasing children’s access to the outdoor provides them with more opportunities to develop a healthy mind and body. (Riley & Park, 2015). Part of encouraging the play is removing or decreasing the amount of programmed goal-directed learning and replacing it with time for fun and curiosity. Educators are also able to put forth suggestions to families to encourage more outdoor time, that means instead of sitting in front of a television all weekend, take a well needed break and go outside, take a walk, ride bicycles, whatever they are feeling in the moment, as long as they are getting outside.

Playing in the outdoors should not be an optional activity but part of the daily schedule. Even when the time is short, this type of play should not be eliminated. Regular contact with nature can improve children’s physical and psychological health and well-being. When children stop spending time in nature, where should they look to maintain their good health and create happy memories? (Riley & Park, 2015).

References: Park, M., & Riley, J. (2015). Play in Natural Outdoor Environments: A Healthy Choice. Retrieved from https://www.southernearlychildhood.org/upload/pdf/Dimensions_Vol43_2_ParkRiley_1.pdf Klass, P. (2018, Jan 08).Taking Playtime Seriously. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/29/well/family/taking-playtime-seriously.html Frost, J. L. (2010). A history of children’s play and play environments: Toward a contemporary childsaving movement. New York, NY: Routledge.

Photo Retrieved from https://www.northfieldumc.org/event/2018/1/16/830-playtime-toddlers

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Adventure Playgrounds

-Amelia Davis

“ With adventure playgrounds, you get playworkers” -Diane Kashin

Adventure playgrounds are places for children to play in ways that support their health, creativity, and learning. (Kashin, 2018). With the use of adventure playgrounds, are emerging alternatives to the old “boring” playgrounds we see in many schools and centers. Adventure playgrounds are a play space filled with loose tires, woods, metals and numerous other materials, that engage children’s development in a new and exciting way. Playgrounds with a variety of surfaces, including combinations of sand, grass, water, and paved ground. The features were uniquely designed and arranged so that kids could crawl through faux caves, climb boulders, hop on and off a trail of wooden pads, swing wildly, or play organized sports. (Misra, 2018). Adventure playgrounds offer open-ended play to children, that foster innovation and creativity, however a London based researcher Tim Gill states that parents are seeing adventure playgrounds in the wrong light, and see them as dangerous space for children, and to that Gill added “many grown-ups have gotten confused about what playgrounds are for—they’ve kind of been under the delusion that it was possible to create playgrounds where no injuries ever happen”.Which he argues is not the case, in my own personal experience children are meant to get bumps and bruises, it is all apart of the childhood experience, and it is how they learn about the world. Gill closes with Let’s get clear about what playgrounds are for, and why it’s good for children to have that challenge and uncertainty and risk—and then let’s talk about how you can strike a good balance.” Gill, 2018). For children to have the ability to create their own play environment, they require opportunities. (Kashin, 2018). Which is exactly what adventure playgrounds are giving them.

References: Kashin, D. (2018). Week Ten Slideshow Notes. Retrieved from https://brightspace.algonquincollege.com/d2l/le/content/95419/viewContent/1887926/View

Misra, T. (2018). ‘Risky’ Playgrounds Are Making a Comeback. Retrieved from https://www.citylab.com/life/2018/08/can-risky-playgrounds-take-over-the-world/565964/

Photo Retrieved from https://www.citylab.com/life/2018/08/can-risky-playgrounds-take-over-the-world/565964/

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Photo Retrieved from https://quotefancy.com/quote/759497/Albert-Einstein-Look-deep-into-nature-and-then-you-will-understand-everything-better

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My Philosophy Statement

-Amelia Davis

In regards to nature-based learning, my philosophy is rooted to maintaining healthy development, meaningful partnerships and child guidance, to create an environment where children and their families feel at home, to feel welcome, safe and included in all aspects of learning and to create a nurturing space with developmentally appropriate and stimulating learning experiences. Guided by “How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years (2014)” and “Early Learning for Every Child Today” (2007). 

Learning is supposed to be fun, and what better way to incorporate fun learning experiences than through nature. Children, no matter their age, are natural learners. It’s important for children to enjoy what they are learning to ensure a healthy development, therefore focusing on creating play-based centered experiences and focusing on the child as a learner. Allowing children to be themselves, use their imaginations and creativity to explore the natural world around them. Fostering continuous positive development of their unique social, cognitive, emotional, physical and creative strengths, and watch them be drawn to the wonders of nature, and let them expand their minds to what nature could offer them. Educators should be mentors, to scaffold and broaden children’s learning by including ideas of their own into activities, creating experiences based upon observations of each individual child, recognizing the value of unstructured outdoor play and the connection between that and a child’s development. Experiences in nature-based learning should be child-initiated and adult-supported. The educator's plan based on their observations, the children’s capabilities and interests as well as their understanding of developmental domains. Furthermore, encouraging parent communication, giving parents a voice, and to let them feel like they have a say in what goes on in their child’s education

References: 

Photo Retrieved from https://www.earlychildhoodprofessionalsirl.com/436403464?i=139261822

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A video from Nature Play QLD, on Mt Nebo State School. If you are wondering how to incorporate Forest schools into outdoor learning, or want a glimpse into the day of a Forest School, Mt Nebo is a great place to start, and they outline what they have seen in their children’s learning. 

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Why we need more Forest Schools! 

There are multiple aspects forest schools demonstrate an overview the astonishing positive impact outdoor play has on developing children. It evaluates the outdoor classroom as a whole while highlighting the importance of understanding our environment. Personally, I believe all Kindergartens should implement forest schools as the benefits are overwhelming. The majority of a child’s week should be spent outside, in natural light with endless boundaries. Children are actively engaged throughout the entire day at forest schools, experiencing smells sounds and textures they may not have the opportunity to play in at home. Majority of children look forward to their short recess as it is their favorite time of the day, allowing them to escape the structured and stressful environment of the classroom. Imagine having a stress free classroom where children enjoy coming to school to learn and build on learning experiences each and every day. Although some parents may hesitate due to their child’s exceptionalities or own personal preferences, I believe benefits for developing children unquestionably outweigh the disadvantages. Should more outdoor classrooms be integrated into our Ontario curriculum? What do you think?

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Video from Play Australia about the many benefits of outdoor play. In the video, they discuss how educators can bring meaningful learning opportunities outdoors, in order for children to build upon their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual identity. 

“Life has challenges and risks and children deserve experiences and tools to learn to negotiate these on their own. With few risks, there are few rewards”. - Deb Curtis

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Does it Belong in Nature- A Fun Activity.

Age: Preschool – 1st grade

Time: 30 min+

Materials: 15-20 small, common household items made from various materials, for example, glass, cardboard, metal, wood, plastic, paper, fabric etc. Tote bag Place: A park, natural area or your own backyard

How to do it: Choose an area and spread out the items while the child is not watching. You can vary the level of difficulty depending on the child’s age – ranging from very easy to find for a young preschooler to slightly camouflaged/hidden for a first grader. Give him/her the tote bag and discuss how you can recognize things that don’t belong in nature, then start hunting!

I thought that this was a fun activity, and I happened to stumble upon it on the blog rainorshinemomma.com. Her blog is great and all about nature and learning aspects. In this particular blog post, she goes on to discuss the forest school pedagogy and how it is made up of unstructured play outdoors, with their educators ensuring that they offer invitations to children to investigate what the outdoors has to offer. Go and give her blog a look! :)

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Over-scheduled Kids- Are we stopping their freedom? -Amelia D

When I was a child, I used to come home when the streetlights turned on, but times have changed. In my personal experience, society has shifted from when parents would allow their children to roam free in the neighbourhood with no worries. When children would go about their day and make their own choices, when you could walk up and down the streets of neighbourhoods and see bikes sprawled out on the grass of all the neighbourhood kids taking a break from outdoors, it is unfortunate to say that in today’s society we’d be lucky to see one bike outside. Why is that? Many today will say it is due to the lack of safety for children in neighbourhoods, as there are constantly hearing about kidnappers, child molesters and school shootings. According to a study done in the UK regarding outdoor time, Ben Fogle says more parents admitted that their children did not play outside as much as they had during their own childhood, with 26 percent saying they spend less than 30 minutes a week playing outdoors based on the concerns and worries of safety. (Fogle, 2014).

I was born in 1994, the 90s was a great time to be a kid, as far as I am concerned. Play was everything to me and my siblings- technology wasn’t a big a part of children’s lives as it is today, and even when I used technology it was to play games like Math Circus. My parents only allotted small increments of time for TV watching, the rest was used enjoying the great outdoors and using our imaginations to create these wonderful play experiences. I recall so vividly being in the school play yard with friends during winter, and building forts, something so simple turned into the most elaborate play. We turned our forts into stores, used markers to color on snow and make “gems” in which we sold to the stores (other forts) for larger boulders. I.e. One colored gem was worth a small sized boulder, two colored gems were worth a medium sized boulder and so on.  We appointed each person and group different jobs, there were the workers who made the boulders, the buyers, the sellers etc.  In that small activity, some many skills were practiced and learned. I learned how to work within a team, communication skills, negotiating, problem-solving, decision making and creativity.

Children are naturally drawn to the outdoors, however, play is becoming more and more limited due to busy work schedules, Working in the early childhood field, I can first hand say that so many of my students as soon as they leave the center they are immediately being thrown into all their extracurricular activities, pickup time has gone from parents asking their children “How was your day?” to it being replaced with “Let’s go, we have soccer at 5:30”. These activities don’t happen only once a week, its everyday something different, when do these kids even have a chance to be children? To be free, without having to worry about going to yet another scheduled activity? “With children penned in by too much structure, lacking the chance and encouragement to “go out and play,” make up their own games and use their imaginations, we’re hurting them.” (Levs, 2017). Now, this is not to say that I don’t believe scheduled extracurriculars don’t have benefits for children, but children need balance, between extracurriculars and them forming their own choices. If we eliminated at least 50% of children’s extracurriculars, that would enable children to actually go outside and have time for themselves. “we’re depriving them of what childhood should be – a time of freedom and character-building”. (Levs, 2017)“we’re depriving them of what childhood should be – a time of freedom and character-building”. (Levs, 2017)“we’re depriving them of what childhood should be – a time of freedom and character-building”. (Levs, 2017)

References: Levs, J. (2017, October 02). Whatever happened to ‘go outside and play’? Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/22/living/let-children-play-outside/index.html

Baker, L. (2014). How to Give Your Kids Freedom in a Dangerous World. Retrieved from https://lifehacker.com/how-to-give-your-kids-freedom-in-a-dangerous-world-1638140713

Carter, C. (2014, April 06). Children spend less than 30 minutes playing outside a week. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/10747841/Children-spend-less-than-30-minutes-playing-outside-a-week.html