A change of environment can redirect focus and alter behavior in adults and children. To take advantage of that behavioral trait, the WSU Children’s Center built an outdoor classroom to provide kids with new experiences during their school days.
“We wanted a place where we could take indoor activities outside,” said Samantha Schroedle, interim director of the center, which works with kids ranging from six weeks old to elementary school age. “We can do messier science projects or provide a different setting for story times. Playing with blocks in class is great, but taking them outdoors completely changes the type of play for children.”
The outdoor classroom, which just opened this summer, includes a gazebo and a small playground.
“The more time children spend outside in nature, the better it is for their overall well-being,” said Schroedle, who taught at the center for several years. “When I was teaching, I loved to take art outside. I’m excited to see the children have more opportunities to explore art outdoors.”
Activities like group story time can be more interactive outside as well. If a teacher reads a book about trees, they can ask children how a nearby tree feels or looks, taking the abstract and making it concrete, Schroedle said.
“You can read a book about butterflies, but seeing a butterfly in person will have a larger impact on learning,” she said.
This summer, the center experimented with outdoor nap times, which could lead to lessons on camping or other outdoor adventures.
The WSU Children’s Center is located on the WSU Pullman campus and is administered by the Department of Human Development. The center is open to the children of WSU students, faculty, and staff.
