Spring has arrived! As we look outside we see sprouting bits of green and blooms beginning to form. It is a time for new beginnings. As we transition from snow boots and gloves to rain boots and umbrellas, the children are bursting for outdoor adventures.
The South classroom children have spent this past week cleaning and prepping the outdoor space, splashing in rain puddles, petting the goats and soaking up each and every ray of sunshine.
Immersing ones-self into nature is an integral part of a child’s development. Exploring nature not only helps children with physical growth but with socialization, exploration of the senses, and an expansion of the imagination. When learning about various tree species, it is important to not only read about them in books but have the option to explore real trees in nature. To see and feel and smell various trees will instill a deeper understanding and more thorough knowledge of the topic.
“Let the children be free; encourage them; let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and; when the grass of the meadow is damp with dew; let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet; let them rest peacefully when a tree invites them to sleep beneath its shade; let them shout and laugh when the sun wakes them in the morning as it wakes every living creature that divides its day between waking and sleeping.” – Maria Montessori
~Liz Struble, Primary South Guide
