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 Outdoor
Environments
As children begin to walk they need experience on different
surfaces in order to find ways to deal with balance and footing.
Grass, sand, gravel, mulch, leaves and even a wooden deck
provide the opportunity to experiment with balance. Remove your shoes
and encourage barefoot exploration where safe.
Walk through water and watch your footprints follow you
on concrete. Notice how long it takes to dry in the sun. Set out stepping
stones and walk down the path together.
Natural outdoor environments offer three unique qualities
that are unique and appealing to children:
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The fact they are not created by adults |
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Unending diversity |
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The feeling of timelessness |
 Take
time to lay under a tree (not where there are ticks or stinging insects)
and look up through the branches to the sky above. Listen to the scurrying
of the insects around you and the calls for the birds and squirrels above.
Do this in all seasons and note how the view and surrounding activity
changes.
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