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Outdoor learning is an important element of your child’s academic progression and many schools try to incorporate it into their curriculum. There are lots of benefits associated with outdoor learning, including the fact that it brings classroom learning to life, helping students retain the information. The exercise and fresh air associated with outdoor learning are also great for reducing stress. A pre-school in Oxford have put together three outdoor activities that you can try at home to help support your child’s academic and personal development.
- Map Reading
While reading a map may seem like a useless skill, what with the prevalence of Google Maps, Waze and other apps, it’s still a valuable lesson for children. It adds a new dimension to walking which will engage kids and get them to use their brains whilst you’re out and about. They will need to be patient, concentrate and just generally get to know the area. It also teaches them that they don’t always have to rely on their smartphones to help them survive, which will boost their confidence and faith in their abilities.
- Grow Your Own
Planting and growing their own fruit and vegetables can teach your child about responsibility and taking care of something. Again, it requires patience and determination, and will teach them more about what a plant needs to survive. Plants are usually something explored in the school curriculum so your child will feel more prepared for this lesson if they have been growing some of their own.
- Birdwatching
Another way to help your child learn more about nature is to look out for birds. They could keep a little diary about the different species of birds they spot so that they can do some research about them at a later date. If you don’t seem to get many birds in the garden, entice them in with a make-shift bird feeder, containing nuts and raisins etc.
There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to outdoor learning and you’ll probably find that one project leads to another. As long as your child is spending some time away from their digital devices, you have succeeded.
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