An outdoor classroom provides a seated sheltered area for a whole class of children. Its benefits are multiple and wide ranging: many are obvious, but many get forgotten.
Health
Many children spend far too much of their day indoors, leaving the house only to get the bus or car to school and then home again for some relaxation: possibly in front of the TV or Xbox. In winter especially, days can go by without children enjoying playtime in the fresh outdoor air.
Encouraging children to be active outdoors is important for physical, mental, and social development. The outdoor greenery and fresh air is much more than just a mood adjuster, but can have a profound effect on health in prevention of stress and fatigue (children are increasingly suffering from stress). The communication to your body of cold air or warm sunlight helps to reset circadian rhythms, balances hormones and promotes weight loss and well-being.
Sun Shelter
We all know that too much sun, especially to the point of burning, can result in health risks. No matter how often pupils and parents are reminded of the need to provide sun-hats and sun-cream there is still a need for the school to ensure that sun-safe play areas are available for children. An outdoor classroom will make sure that there is additional sheltered play space available to the pupils.
An outdoor shelter or classroom will provide a comfortable seated area where children can play, eat or take lessons protected from the worst of the weather (rain or shine).
Teaching
A change of scene can help children re-focus and absorb more information from lessons. The option for a teacher to take a class outdoors can assist both to maintain interest levels and retention of information. Selecting an outdoor classroom with fixed benches ensures that you have the benefit of the outdoors whilst keeping the class contained in one area.
Outdoor teaching also allows you to create lessons without worrying about disturbing the neighbouring class so more animation and volume can be enjoyed when reading or practising for performances.
Parent Waiting Areas
If we want to encourage parents to walk to school to collect children, provision of a waiting area makes the school gate wait more of a social event. Sheltered from rain or heat parents can sit and chat whilst waiting for their children - by creating a more social collection point we also remove some of the hurry and some of the stress of the end of the school day.
Quiet Zone
There are times when difficult behaviour in the classroom makes a little quite time necessary. An outdoor classroom, provides another quiet zone and this time with all the benefits the outdoors can provide in the way of mood adjustment. The informal setting also assisting communication and understanding of how the behaviour arose.
By Romane Smith
Health
Many children spend far too much of their day indoors, leaving the house only to get the bus or car to school and then home again for some relaxation: possibly in front of the TV or Xbox. In winter especially, days can go by without children enjoying playtime in the fresh outdoor air.
Encouraging children to be active outdoors is important for physical, mental, and social development. The outdoor greenery and fresh air is much more than just a mood adjuster, but can have a profound effect on health in prevention of stress and fatigue (children are increasingly suffering from stress). The communication to your body of cold air or warm sunlight helps to reset circadian rhythms, balances hormones and promotes weight loss and well-being.
Sun Shelter
We all know that too much sun, especially to the point of burning, can result in health risks. No matter how often pupils and parents are reminded of the need to provide sun-hats and sun-cream there is still a need for the school to ensure that sun-safe play areas are available for children. An outdoor classroom will make sure that there is additional sheltered play space available to the pupils.
An outdoor shelter or classroom will provide a comfortable seated area where children can play, eat or take lessons protected from the worst of the weather (rain or shine).
Teaching
A change of scene can help children re-focus and absorb more information from lessons. The option for a teacher to take a class outdoors can assist both to maintain interest levels and retention of information. Selecting an outdoor classroom with fixed benches ensures that you have the benefit of the outdoors whilst keeping the class contained in one area.
Outdoor teaching also allows you to create lessons without worrying about disturbing the neighbouring class so more animation and volume can be enjoyed when reading or practising for performances.
Parent Waiting Areas
If we want to encourage parents to walk to school to collect children, provision of a waiting area makes the school gate wait more of a social event. Sheltered from rain or heat parents can sit and chat whilst waiting for their children - by creating a more social collection point we also remove some of the hurry and some of the stress of the end of the school day.
Quiet Zone
There are times when difficult behaviour in the classroom makes a little quite time necessary. An outdoor classroom, provides another quiet zone and this time with all the benefits the outdoors can provide in the way of mood adjustment. The informal setting also assisting communication and understanding of how the behaviour arose.
By Romane Smith
Post a Comment