What characterizes an outdoor classroom?

The Outdoor Classroom Project was formed in 2003 in California. The goal of the Outdoor Classroom Project is to publicize the philosophy and practice of outdoor programming and environments as consider them critical foundations of a quality program of early care and education. Through researching I learned, that The Outdoor Classroom Project reached more than 630 childcare centers and around 3,000 early childhood educators in Los Angeles. I thought this to be extremely interesting because before learning about outdoor classrooms in my environmental design class, I never knew that they even existed. It was interesting to learn how many outdoor classroom already existed and how many children and adults have benefited from them.

 Here are some characteristics about outdoor classrooms from The Outdoor Classroom Project website.

·      “Most activities that can be done indoors can be done outdoors. Some activities occur best outdoors; some can only occur outdoors”.

·      “Children spend substantial periods of time outside, and it is easy and safe for them to get there; they are free to move easily between the indoors and outdoors”.

·      “There is a full range of activities for children to participate in, including many activities that are traditionally thought of as “indoor activities”.

·      “The outdoor space offers a balance of areas for physically active and less active play”.

·      “While outside, children frequently have the opportunity to initiate their own learning experiences and activities, with teachers available to support them”.

·      “The outdoor curriculum evolves from and changes with children’s changing needs and interests”.

·      “Children experience nature in as many ways as possible".

http://outdoorclassroomproject.org/about/our-story/

Here is the link to The Outdoor Classroom Project's Facebook page where you can learn more about the project and find interesting articles that they post.

https://www.facebook.com/OutdoorClassroomProject