Stephanie Aurich

Ed 332

Professor Gebhardt

Nature Explore Review

30 October 2013

As an early childhood educator, one has many different roles. We serve as teachers, mothers/fathers, coaches, maybe at times, referees, and also their friends. So, as we consider these different roles, it is important that we are also considering the space we will be teaching in. Our classroom setup should be welcoming, spacious (if possible), and should cater to each child’s learning. Another important learning area is the outdoor space provided at each early childhood center. In our reading, Learning With Nature Idea Book by Nature Explore, it delves into different ideas for creating nurturing outdoor spaces for children.

Our reading listed ten guiding principles for putting together an ideal outdoor space. These guiding principles are based on years of Dimensions’ field-testing, and represent a well-rounded mix of experiences that can and should occur outdoors for preschool and elementary children. They include the following:

  1. Divide the space into clearly delineated areas for different kinds of activities.
  2. Include a complete mix of activity areas.
  3. Give areas simple names.
  4. Identify each area with a sign or other visual clues.
  5. Be sure every area is visible at all times.
  6. Use a variety of natural materials, including trees and other live plants.
  7. Choose elements for durability and low maintenance.
  8. Maximize beauty and visual clarity in the over-all design.
  9. Personalize the design with regional materials, and ideas from children and staff.
  10. Be sure the space meets all regulatory standards for your region.

Each guideline is well thought out and has been made with the child’s best interest in mind. Let us now explore each guideline and why it is important.

The first guideline states that each area has to be clearly marked off for different activities. The reasoning behind this is because children need order. It is far easier for them to enter a space with ten distinct activity areas and understand them over one that is a jumble of many activities. Guideline number two recommends including a mix of activity areas. These areas include an entry feature, an area for large-motor activities, a climbing/crawling area, “messy materials” area, a building area, a nature art area, a music and movement area, a garden and/or a pathway through plantings, a gathering area, a storage area, and some supplemental areas. Each of these different areas is meant to increase the quality of the child’s outdoor experience. They are meant to help the child grow in their thinking, their ability to move and their ability to interact with others. Guideline three and four seem to tie in with each other. These guidelines encourage having simple names and pictures to represent each area. This helps children remember the layout of the space and encourages them to make their own decisions. Guideline number five is one of the most important ones in my opinion. It states: “Be sure every area is visible at all times.” In order to ensure your child’s safety, an adult needs to be able to stand in any place outside and see children playing. A fun idea for giving your student’s privacy is to grow some tall native grasses. These grasses give them a sense of “hiding.” Guidelines six, seven and eight encourage the use of natural materials that are low maintenance and very durable. It is also important to maximize the beauty and visual clarity of a space. This is important because children are becoming more and more disconnected from the textures, smells and beauty of the natural world. Making the space more inviting can also improve the social behavior of your child. The ninth guideline encourages the use of personal materials and ideas from children and staff. I could not agree more with this. It reflects the community who uses it and helps children develop a sense of place. Finally, the tenth guideline reminds that you need to make sure the space meets all regulatory standards for your particular region. This is important because there is a different amount of risk when it comes to an outdoor space. With the use of these ten guidelines, a wonderful outdoor space will be created.

Nature Explore is a fantastic, professional, collaborative project! This book gave so many wonderful ideas for creating an outdoor space. Even if one is not teaching at an early childhood center, they could easily use some of these ideas on their own school playground. The guidelines given are thorough and well thought out. Two of my favorite areas are the messy materials area, and the dirt-digging area. As I watch the next generation grow up, it quite scares me. When I was little, we were told to go outside and get dirty; I do not see that nearly as much anymore. So, I am encouraged that this is a guideline for making an outdoor space. One final observation of this reading is not only could you use these guidelines outside, but you could use a number of them in your classroom. It is so important to label things, and to have an environment that is safe and inviting for each of your students. I hope to implement a number of these in my future classroom.