More ideas for minibeasts!
26 June 2015
We’re thinking about nature a lot this week. Children are spending more and more time indoors. As a result, we’re losing our connection with the natural world. This has all kinds of negative implications with some children not able to identify farm animals or understand where the food they eat comes from. Lots of schools and nurseries come to us for advice on how to help the children in their setting re-connect with the environment and we really enjoy helping them get closer to nature.
There is plentiful evidence that outdoor learning about the natural world has significant and wide-ranging benefits for children’s development. Escaping the classroom provides fresh air and a sense of freedom. This frees the mind to encourage more imaginative, creative thinking and can improve behaviour, concentration, communication skills and social interaction. By exploring the natural environment, children learn a sense of perspective when they realise that human beings aren’t the only creatures on the planet. Discovering insects, plants and pond life fuels curiosity and develops observation and reasoning skills, while growing plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables teaches children how things grow and what they need to thrive. Perhaps most importantly, positive early experiences of nature embed a sense of environmental citizenship that will hopefully last a lifetime.
Of course you can learn lots about nature and the environment from books and the internet, but we think there’s no substitute for the real thing. That means putting your wellies on, maybe your waterproofs too if it’s raining (remember plants love the rain!) and heading outside. You’ll almost definitely get your hands dirty but that’s all part of the fun.
Here at Playforce, we’ve developed some fantastic outdoor learning resources that will help your school or setting get close up and personal with nature. With our Design & Build offer, our expert consultants work closely with customers to design bespoke solutions that meet your specific requirements. That means you can create your very own outdoor nature classroom from scratch with our Landscape, Sensory Play and Gardening range. For instance, learn all about the fascinating world and vital work of worms with our free-standing World Worm Discovery unit or use our Mini Beast Exploration Table to find out which tiny creatures live in your school grounds. You could even help your school become an eco-school by encouraging the recycling of organic food waste with our Giant School Composter.
Or if you’re looking for loose, self-assembly resources to enhance your outdoor learning provision, visit Playforce Shop. We have a fantastic Garden and Grow range to support planting, growing, wildlife habitats and composting. Get hunting today!
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