Most international preschools have built their preschool curriculums keeping in mind the importance of outdoor play during a child’s developmental years.
The need for an environment where they can explore independently is being understood by most International public schools and even parents realise this crucial aspect in a child’s early development.
Here Are Some Amazing Benefits That Your Child Can Get While Learning Outdoors
1. Increased Physical Activity
This is the first most beneficial aspect of outdoor learning and play. When a child is outdoors, where there is ample space, she tends to run, play and jump along with her peers and is enthusiastic about the environment in general.
Increased physical activity aids in bone development, body coordination, balance and flexibility. All these are very important and also inter connected with fine motor skills that help them in writing, drawing and painting.
2. Motivation to Learn
When a child is motivated, half the battle is won! A good amount of outdoor activity energizes the child and increases concentration levels when he is learning a new concept outdoors. It may be an educational picnic or a day tour to the local zoo, they will have enough enthusiasm to absorb and retain information for a longer time.
3. Improved Social Skills
Children are happiest when outdoors, and this can be a driving factor in developing new friendships with their peer groups. This kind of self-initiated interaction gives them the right social skills and improves their emotional outlook towards people outside of their homes.
The fact that they feel free and empowered when outdoors, gives them the confidence to initiate healthy conversations with their classmates and their teachers.
4. Reduced Hyper Activity
An important aspect in many children, hyperactivity can be a cause for concern for many parents and teachers. Surprisingly, children simmer down when outdoors compared to being cooped up inside the classroom for a long time.
It has been proved that mother nature has a way of soothing the most disturbed children. Therefore, it’s best to expose them to some fresh air and a new perspective to calm them down. Teachers can try and take their lessons outdoors whenever possible to increase engagement.
5. Better health outcomes
Outdoor activities lead to channelising energy and keeping tabs on a child’s weight too. It slows down obesity and increases metabolism in children. Outdoor activities also prevent the risk of childhood diseases based on inactivity and low muscle tone.
An hour of outdoor activity every day doesn’t just aid in better physical outcomes but physiological ones too.
6. Controlled Behaviour and Decreased Emotional Outbursts
When you ask the parents of a child who suffers from an attention deficit disorder, they will swear by the benefits of outdoor play and learning. This applies to all children who have a habit of succumbing to emotional outbursts at the drop of a hat.
Outdoor play can calm their nerves to a great extent and you might notice better behavioural outcomes for the rest of the day too. Playing at parks, especially around the monkey bars help children with sensory needs to calm their joints and ease their muscle stiffness.
7. The Perfect Environment to Acquire Practical Knowledge
Knowledge through bookish information or through colourful picture books is one thing. Being outdoors to see and learn about preschool concepts is quite another.
Won’t it be wonderful to take children to a flower garden and help them recognise each flower by using the senses of touch, smell and feel? Or maybe a vegetable market where they can learn the names of all vegetables by using a little pointer?
Practical knowledge can be retained more effectively than any other in the field of education.
8. Adequate Sunlight
Children need a good amount of sunlight during their growing years. Vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients for the body to function properly and a deficiency in this nutrient can cause unnecessary complications in a child’s health. At Least 15-30 minutes of sun exposure is enough to absorb the daily Vitamin D intake.
These were some wonderful aspects of outdoor learning and play. Now let’s see how curricula are designed for international preschools and international public schools where there is a right balance between indoor and outdoor education.
9. The Perfect International Pre-School Curriculum
With the onset of new requirements in international preschool education, schools have proactively changed their passive methods of teaching to something more innovative and engaging.
And this has been made possible by providing more opportunities to children like field trips, educational tours and excursions to interesting places that cover the concepts in the academic curriculum.
Schools also hold charity drives and green initiatives for community service and conversation of the environment on a regular basis. This gives more time for children to spend outdoors and learn new things. It also is a great way to boost the socio-emotional development in a child.
10.Extracurricular Activities in International Public Schools
Now, the new approach to education is based on holistic development rather than just academic excellence. Schools provide different spaces for children to learn different sporting skills and many other activities like dance, music and drama.
All these activities aid in physical and emotional development and are a great way to start your child’s schooling in an International preschool.
In the current educational scenario, there is equal emphasis on outdoor activities as that of indoor classroom learning. This is a great way to help children break their boredom during continuous classroom sessions. Children feel refreshed and are ready to sit and concentrate after spending some time outdoors.
Conclusion
These were some benefits of outdoor education observed by International preschools. As a parent, you can take out some time from your schedule and indulge in some useful outdoor play or learning activity a few times a week and work on that parent-child bonding.
International schools that provide a holistic education curriculum is the best option if you are looking for admission for your child.
