For many of us, spring means time to get back outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. But for the students at The Hundred Acre School, spring means that we don’t have to always take a long time to get ready to head outside with extra layers of clothing. Our school’s curriculum uses the outdoors as a second classroom. Students average between 2-3 hours outside every day, year-round. Our outside time can range from organized learning experiences in nature such as scavenger hunts, observations, collecting materials or listening for sounds, to free play on a field, woods, or garden. Fresh air and exploration are key to the busybodies and brains of your children.

Here are few outdoor fun ideas that you can borrow to enjoy with someone young or young at heart. Color hunts are a great way to leave an experience open-ended but allow for guided observation of the environment. You can bring a rainbow with you and check off colors as you go. If your child is already an expert at basic colors, consider getting some paint swatches and allowing them to match subtle differences in a particular color. Our classes love the challenge of a color hunt and there are great debates about exact matches. These debates are wonderful conversations as they allow children to express their ideas and navigate challenges in a meaningful way. During this Rhododendron Festival, we have all experienced a selection of amazing colors outdoors!

Another fun experience is to enjoy viewing a tree from the ground. Lay back and lookup. What do you notice about the branches, leaves or needles? What do you notice about the way the sunlight passes through the leaves to the ground? Do you observe any living things enjoying the tree too? Can you see the sky from below a tree? Fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity is easy if we take the time to slow down and enjoy the classroom just outside our home or school door. For more information about The Hundred Acre School and its programs, please visit www.100acreschool.org.

Melissa Russell, M.Ed

Director of The Hundred Acre School