An outdoor classroom, mud kitchen, and creepy crawlies- yes, please! Creating an entirely outdoor learning space is as easy as gathering loose parts when you incorporate my top 3 elements. Designing an entirely outdoor learning space became a passion of mine, back in 2013. It became a reality 3 short years later and continues to thrive as a result of diligence and passion. And most importantly, a desire to offer a special learning environment for all children, where everyone could thrive, even on rainy days.
Understanding The Outdoor Classroom
Designing an Outdoor Classroom is a team project. Every staff and faculty member must be on board with the decision to teach in a fully outdoor space. If we are asking students to learn outside, even in inclement weather, the teachers must be willing to put on rain boots and parkas and take to the environment as well. Teacher Tom describes it best, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices”.
When I created the Outdoor Classroom I made sure to include verbiage in the Parent Handbook which explained our inclement weather plan. We spelled out the types of clothing necessary for the outdoor classroom. Most importantly every staff member had the understanding and knowledge necessary to explain our philosophy to prospective parents.
If we ever received parent push back I would explain that just like in the traditional classroom I would never stop a child from participating. That meant the mud kitchen was always open, the garden was always available and the messy projects were not off-limits just because a child came in clothing not meant for the outdoor classroom curriculum. My biggest piece of advice, do the research, find your educational voice, design your curriculum, and stick to your plan. The families that are meant to be will find you!
Outdoor Classroom Gardens
Creating an outdoor classroom garden where students learn about beneficial insects, local wildlife and edible plants was a key component of our original design. Reaching out to a local nursery resulted in a donation of many plants, which were indigenous to our area and hardy enough for our climate zone. Planting a winter edible garden and making a snack from the bounty teaches students the joy of growing their own food.
As a bonus, they tend to actually try foods they would not necessarily be introduced to- Brussels Sprouts, cabbage, turnips, and beets to name a few. We also partnered with the local agriculture agency to take part in a nutritious food program called Ag In The Classroom. This partnership resulted in seeds and starter plants for each growing season.
Class Pets and Outdoor Learning Spaces
Along with our edible garden, we designed a butterfly garden that would eventually draw hummingbirds, honey bees, and a variety of beneficial insects to our classroom. The natural wildlife that wandered in, some which wanted to eat our edible plants, others to help pollinate, offered a variety of learning opportunities. Our Outdoor Classroom became home to rabbits, snakes, toads, spiders, hummingbirds, crows, and even a small fawn. Creating a science curriculum was as easy as wandering around the space and observing new creatures.
Although we did also care for classroom pets that were raised in captivity, leopard geckos, bearded dragons, and betta fish, to name a few, we always placed value in the differences between wild creatures and tame animals. Our young students were able to identify differences in environments and what each animal needed to survive. Our certified butterfly garden became home to an array of learning that far exceeded expectations.
Outdoor Classrooms need Structure, Organization, and Design
Just like an indoor or traditional learning space, outdoor classrooms need specific design components to function. There should always be intentionally designed areas for specific learning. The outdoor library consisted of books that had been taken apart, pages had been laminated, and the whole thing rebound. When we created outdoor books our students were able to read in cozy spaces even outdoors. Sticks with feathers attached became writing implements for practicing fine motor skills using water, mud, and colored chalk paints. Chalk paints are always created by the students using the mortar and pestle and adding water until they reach the desired consistency.
I have a vast love of loose parts, and in an outdoor classroom allowing students full access to loose parts can be fun AND challenging. The fun part is when the children begin to rearrange the space to suit their needs. They move scaffolding and tires to create a playhouse, or maybe it’s a seesaw or perhaps a spaceship. The challenge is that we all know allowing children the time and space to create is a key component in their development.
But what happens when the outdoor classroom begins to look like a local landfill? As a program administrator, I had to have a conversation with my staff as to how much we would allow. We actually came up with a fairly good system. Broken items were immediately removed and new materials were not brought into our learning space unless we stored something else in the interim. Whatever your policy becomes just make sure you have the student, teacher, parent, and admin buy-in.
Avoid Common Outdoor Classroom Pitfalls
The block and building area need to be well thought out, with specifically designated storage. The last thing teachers want to do is drag the heavy blocks to and from the indoor space. Shelving made of pallets and concrete risers works well for block storage and keeps the critters from making permanent homes. Paint the interior space of tires, backs of cabinets, and shelves WHITE and as a result, the creepy crawlies will be deterred from making a home. By lifting all storage as far off the ground as necessary you will keep mice and rats from building nests. Because yes, they too will fall in love with outdoor classroom learning spaces.
Teach the students what poisonous spiders and snakes look like, and design a protocol for what they should do if they encounter those creatures. Children should never touch them, but instead, find a teacher immediately. Teachers kept gloves, glass jars, and nets on hand in order to help remove unwanted creatures from the learning area.
FUN FACT– As a result of a teacher blunder, we learned Black Widow Spiders can live in an airtight glass jar with no food or water for 8 months!
Make sure the mud kitchen or water area is far enough away from the bathroom or indoor space. Tracking mud and water through the classroom is a real concern, especially when it’s your turn to mop.
Repurpose What You Have~
We worked around an old shed that was supposedly built for storage, back in the ’70s in our original design. It was large, awkward, and housed all sorts of icky critters. Working with a local contractor we removed the walls of the shed (keeping the roof) and created a covered space. This allowed us to stay outside even during torrential downpours. We began seeing all of our items in a new light. The old cyclone fence came down, and was replaced with a wooden one that highlighted the beauty of the area. We planted trellised apple trees, which served not only as a way to teach life cycles but also became a snack.
Ask for help…
When we partnered with an alumni family to help remove the giant monstrosity of a plastic play structure our transition to change was complete. You know the one found at every park and local elementary school from the early ’90s! It took up nearly 2/3 of our space and allowed for zero imaginative play. Instead, we asked parents to create a hopscotch game and a balance scale to encourage authentic math concepts. We had other parents laminate all the books and create a secret garden library under the apple trees. We asked an electrician for an old electrical spool to create a short climbing structure that encouraged safe, but risky play.
The Outdoor Classroom Lives On…
I have since moved into a new role in a new program, however, the outdoor classroom remains. The infamous mud kitchen is still a draw for an eager group of littles every year. And parents still comment on how much their child learned in our creative outdoor space. As a result, being part of a community that embraced the culture of risky, messy, imaginative play was a highlight of my directorship. I am hopeful my staff is richer for having been part of such a life-changing educational opportunity. I know I am…
Next Steps
Outdoor learning is becoming much more mainstream, I have a solution for you. My Outdoor Learning Master Class (part of the Natural Classroom Collection) will help you get outside, and help your students learn and thrive in the outdoor classroom. Learn more about the complete collection by clicking the image below.
Are you are looking for more information on how social distancing can happen outdoors? Check out my friend Amanda’s post over at the Cactus Class. She shares her outdoor classroom knowledge with older elementary teachers as well as students.
Interested in the FREE Master Guide to Natural Classrooms, or one of my other freebies? Click the image below.
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