Outdoor Classroom

Designing outdoor play spaces is often approached as an adult-led task. When we as educators collaborate directly with children, outdoor spaces become more meaningful, engaging, and reflective of how students use them every day.

Young children are naturally curious and often explore and use their outdoor spaces in ways we as adults do not expect. They view the world in a different light, finding possibility and discovery in ways adults may not have considered or noticed.  By involving children of every age in the design of their outdoor environment, we gain valuable insight into what piques their interest and imagination, and we empower them to make decisions that affect them.

What Does Collaboration Look Like with Young Children?

1. Observe. Take time to notice before making a change.  How are children currently using their outdoor spaces? What are the traffic patterns?  What areas as empty?  Which is loud?  Which are quiet?  The children’s level of engagement is a strong indicator of what is working and what may be missing.
2. Ask Questions. Invite children into the conversation by asking questions to help you dig deeper and to allow them time to reflect on their own play habits: “What do you wish we had outside?” and “What would make our space more fun?” “Where do you like to go when you want to be alone?” and “Who do you play with in this spot?”  Responses may be imaginative and outside the box, but they can serve as inspiration for realistic design elements.
3. Draw and Prototype. Encourage children to draw their ideal playspace or create a model using loose parts and recycled materials to help the group visualize potential plans. This process helps both educators and students bring concepts to life.  Prototypes also allow ideas to become iterative and collaborative.  How can a drawing be altered?  What can be added or moved around on the prototype?
4. Support Children’s Empowerment. The deciding voice in the final design choices should be the children’s—materials, themes, placement, and features. This gives the community of children a sense of ownership.  By delegating to them the power to decide, children learn to be active agents in their education and begin practicing successful ways to participate, share their opinions, and act upon them.

This process requires educators to be open and willing to let go of the idea of what a playground should look like or be. The goal is to create a flexible environment that has the ability to change with the children’s interests. Our goal as educators is to ensure that the children’s voices are heard and that they have a space that is truly their own—enriching, meaningful, and engaging.
 
Danielle Doyle and Linda Rothman
Teachers at Shirlee Green Preschool, St. Louis, MO