a 67 percent poverty rate, the school partners with Head Start to secure tuition-free opportunities for families. Pearce attests how exploring the 1,100-acre property fosters language skills. “With less teacher instruction, children have more time to talk freely with each other.”


Instead of loudly calling kids in,


Purdy uses bird calls or a drum, which fosters a sense of peace and respect. During daily sit time students observe themselves as a part of nature. “As birds sing and wildlife appears, children see the rewards of quiet and stillness, so self-regulation becomes natural,” agrees Bailie. Bailie sees how children in forest kindergartens express better motor skills, physical development and cognitive abilities than those restricted to traditional playgrounds. Natural playscapes change with the season, are sensory-rich and provide extra oxygen to the brain—all factors that correlate to brain development. Such benefi ts are reported in Brain-Based Learning by Eric Jensen, Brain Rules by John J. Medina and the Early Childhood Education Journal.


Parents and teachers often describe nature preschool students as being more observant, confi dent, inquisitive and engaged.


Outdoor preschools also foster microbial exposure, essential for healthy immune system development. “Without this exposure, children are at increased risk for developing allergies, asthma, irritable bowel disease, obesity and diabetes later in life,” says B. Brett Finlay, Ph.D., author of Let Them Eat Dirt, which cites supporting science. Kindergarten readiness is a goal of all


preschools, but Pearce doesn’t believe a traditional academic focus is required. “By putting nature fi rst, children are socially and emotionally ready for kindergarten,” she says. “They know how to conquer challenges and are ready to take on academics.”


Meredith Montgomery publishes Natural Awakenings of Gulf Coast Alabama/Mississippi (HealthyLiving HealthyPlanet.com).


NATURE JOURNALING TIPS N


by Meredith Montgomery


ature journal content is highly personal, ranging from scientifi c species accounts to wildlife-inspired stories. With just a notebook, pencil and fully engaged senses, nature enthusiasts of all ages can foster observation skills, creativity and outdoor exploration. Prompt open-ended questions. “Nature journals encourage children to ask questions and search for answers,” says Tiny Trees Preschool CEO Andrew Jay, of Seattle. Ask why fl owers are blooming, how slugs suddenly appeared and what type of tree a leaf came from. Build upon fi ndings with drawings and notes. Make a sound map. Project Learning


Tree, a nationwide environmental education program funded by the American Forest Association, suggests drawing an “X” in the middle of the page to represent where the child is


OUTDOOR PLAY “We are innately connected to nature, but need to provide opportunities to make that connection,” says Patti Bailie, former assistant director of Antioch University’s nature-based Early Childhood certifi cate program, in Keene, New Hampshire. Here’s how.


Get wild at home. Hang bird feeders,


grow wildlife-attracting plants, start a compost pile and designate an area of the yard for natural play where kids can dig and the grass isn’t mowed.


Explore a forest instead of a


playground.Without swing sets and toys, children create imaginative play, build forts and climb trees.


Incorporate active transportation into the family routine.Walk, bike or paddle. Rain gear and fl ashlights enable rainy and after-dark explorations.


Join a family nature club. At


ChildrenAndNature.org, connect with other families that value and use the natural world for playing, growing and learning via their Natural Families Forum.


sitting. Then use pictures, shapes or words to show the relative locations of surrounding sounds. Consider the macro perspective.


Vermont’s Outdoor Education Coordinator Melissa Purdy shows students close-up shots of moss or sticks without revealing what the abstract image is. Students note what they observe and wonder as they try to solve the mystery. Alternatively, challenge children to draw their own macro images by looking at an object with a magnifying glass. Find a sit spot. Give children the time and space to write and draw freely in their journal as they sit quietly in nature. “Return to the same spot regularly and see how things have changed,” advises Patti Bailie, a professor of early childhood education at the University of Maine, in Farmington. If kids are too busy exploring and learning while outside, refl ections can be captured once they’re back inside, too.


September 2017 27


Patiwat Sariya/Shutterstock.com


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