Denmark has preschools for 3- to 6-year-olds that take place almost entirely outdoors, no matter the weather. Kids in these "forest kindergartens" are always supervised, but they have the freedom to explore, to play, to socialize. Along the way, they learn how to interact with the environment and each other. While they aren't yet learning to read, they are learning about biology, physics, botany, engineering, and meteorology. And they learn to have confidence in their own abilities. (via TYWKIWDBI)
This is the same as the system in Finland. Outdoor play every day regardless of the weather--for the whole day in preschool, then for a large part of the day in gradeschool, which kids don't start until they're seven years old.
I had to go outside for recess regardless of the weather when I was in school in the 70's, too. I think lots of schools still have that rule, don't they?
This is the same as the system in Finland. Outdoor play every day regardless of the weather--for the whole day in preschool, then for a large part of the day in gradeschool, which kids don't start until they're seven years old.
ReplyDeleteI had to go outside for recess regardless of the weather when I was in school in the 70's, too. I think lots of schools still have that rule, don't they?
Uh, fewer and fewer grade schools have recess at all nowadays.
ReplyDelete