Magic Circle Nature Playground Re-certified
One year after opening our Magic Circle Nature Playground, PIC is proud to have earned re-certification as an outdoor class-room by the Nature Explore program.
See our dedicated Nature Explore web page.
It has been a year filled with hours of rich outdoor learning and play in every season. It has also been a year to see what works (and grows) and what improvements we can make.
While many plantings flourished, several plants simply could not survive the impact of little feet. We will try other plants this fall.
The challenge of encouraging plant growth was a chance to involve teachers and children in problem-solving. Classrooms created stepping stones to be visual reminders of where children can step without hurting any plants.
Our rain garden provided months of beautiful flowers in bloom and introduced children to the importance of sustainability.
We held our first Fall Family Festival on the playground where parents engaged in nature play alongside their young learners.
Teachers need time for nature exploration, too. We held two staff in-service days on the playground. PIC teachers led one another in building with sticks, creating nature art, making objects for indoor display from natural materials, and more. We can see an impact on the children’s experiences!
We have seen first-hand the profound and positive effect our outdoor classroom has on children. Now with one year under our belt, PIC is even more committed to connecting children with nature.
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