May 22nd’s ribbon cutting ceremony presented a fun and successful introduction to our Carriage House Nursery School’s new Outdoor classroom!
In a nature-based program, play and learning are deeply connected, and teachers cross boundaries between different areas as they promote children’s learning and development.
The Nature Outdoor classroom (known as Happy Hollow at Carriage House Nursery School) has several different learning centers – just like an indoor classroom.
Nature Art Center- the children explore and create artistic designs using natural products such as, seeds, branches, leaves, rocks, seashells, bird feathers.
Gardening Center– each classroom has their own garden box to plant produce, learn about, nurture, watch it grow, and taste it.
Water Play– there is a cascading river and a water pump- they can pump their own water to give to their garden.
Dirt Digging– they can dig the dirt needed for the garden, make mud-pies and create a mud cake or bird nest.
Messy materials– logs, bricks, sticks, stones- large pieces of material to build large creations.
Climbing area– tree stumps in various sizes, wooden ramps made out of a log, various climbing items to learn balance, height, space, and confidence.
Music and Movement- a theatrical stage to re-enact their stories, dancing to the music being played in the music center, drums, wooden spoons and old tin cookware make the music come alive as well as a Akambira (small marimba)
Gathering area-a gigantic Adirondack chair for the teacher to sit and read stories to the children.
The children enjoy free time to wander, observe and learn about nature – and especially to respect it while in Happy Hollow.