Benefits of Outdoor Learning

Benefits of Outdoor Learning

Research has shown that when children are able to go outside to learn and explore freely in nature, they show signs of decreased stress levels, improved behavior and an overall sense of joy and peace. The Outdoor Classroom at Slavia Village is such a special part of our school and we are proud to offer this experience for all preschoolers, K-8 students and staff! This time spent outside is crucial to each child’s development, especially in this technologically advancing society.

Certified Outdoor Classrooms

Certified Outdoor Classrooms

Nature Explore © certified Outdoor Classrooms are dynamic, nature-based play and learning spaces. Our Outdoor Classroom allows students to apply research-based, field-tested design principles to create a nature-rich outdoor learning experience. Each preschool class visits the Outdoor Classroom once a day, spends time in about 3-4 interest areas a week, and follows a set curriculum for each month. Kindergarten also takes advantage of the Outdoor Classroom three times a week as a part of their Science and Social Studies curriculum.

Outdoor Classroom at Slavia Village

Where learning has no walls

Access to new learning opportunities is everywhere when children are outside. This could be watching a caterpillar form into a chrysalis, a bee finding pollen on a flower or an ant carrying crumbs back to its ant hill. It creates an interest in nature, how we can care for our Earth and the creatures that live in it. If we are able to spark this sense of appreciation of nature in our youth, you can only imagine what our world would look like in the future.

Hands on Learning

Instruction in the Outdoor classroom increases student engagement. This increase in engagement has been shown to positively impact stude...
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Instruction in the Outdoor classroom increases student engagement. This increase in engagement has been shown to positively impact student’s motivation, enjoyment in learning, rejuvenate attention span, and improve overall mood even beyond instructional time.

Taking care of God's Kingdom

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1 We give thanks to God for the b...
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“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1 We give thanks to God for the blessings only He can give us. We hope that we can encourage our students to recognize the great wonders of God’s creation.

Cultivating Creativity

When children are exploring the world around them, there is no end goal or finished product. This allows children to freely explore, whil...
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When children are exploring the world around them, there is no end goal or finished product. This allows children to freely explore, while creating and recreating to their heart’s content. While this creative flow is happening, children are less likely to feel a sense of failure because they don’t have any expectations to meet or an end goal to achieve. This helps build confidence in children, letting their imagination run wild.