Photo added by me from: Pixabay
Real
Play, Real Learning
By Willemien Kruger
Here in South Africa we cannot imagine a
lifestyle where children are not outdoors most of the time. Some of my friends who come from other
countries have told me how it took them a long time to get into the mindset
that the “place for children to play is outside—not inside.” The great
advantage of the outside is that one needs far less toys for entertainment. It
never ceases to amaze me how children really play with almost nothing when they are outdoors. As long as there
is a three-dimensional space where they can move forwards and backwards, run,
hop, jump, and climb to move up and down (as in trees)—if you then add a bit of
soil, sand, and water together with a few sticks and stones and leaves and
stuff—children will never be bored!
Our
children here in South Africa grow up outside . . . with bare feet on grass,
mud play, tree climbing and sunshine all year ’round! It is a privilege we
mostly appreciate when our children get fidgety by the hour in those rare times
of continuous rain for three days. Charlotte Mason encourages being in nature,
doing what she calls “nature study,” which is quite natural for children to do
if they are out in nature a lot. If you do not have your own backyard, then do
put in some extra effort to get into nature as much as possible by going to a
park or forest or beach or even a neighbor’s yard. For now I am going to assume
that most of the readers have access to their own nature area, and I’ll give
some practical ideas to set up an outdoor environment for keeping children of
all ages productively busy (from baby phase to teenager phase).
First,
ensure that the basics are available:
open grass, water, soil, sand, trees, and rocks. Trees will be even more
enjoyable if they are of the sort one can climb. Water does not have to be a
swimming pool, and when children are small, even just a bucket filled with some
water is sufficient; water features, such as fountains, are also very
entertaining and relaxing. If you have these basics, living things such as
insects, birds, lizards, spiders, etc. will quickly inhabit your backyard,
making it an outdoor observatory for nature study.
Add interesting
play, provoking things such as a climbing frame, swings (homemade
ones can be made, e.g., knotted ropes or a tire fastened with ropes), a tree
house, tires, bamboo, a hose pipe, and pets.
Provide
an area where they can roller skate or
ride bikes or practice throwing a ball through a loop. Set up a net for
kicking a ball into.
Involve your
children
from a young age in helping you when you have your own vegetable or herb
garden, flowers, bonsais, orchids, or whatever your green thumbs like to grow.
If you are an animal lover, all sorts of pets and other small animals can
provide lots of learning opportunities for caring and can even develop into a
business later, e.g., raising birds, chickens, etc.
There
are so many opportunities for productive
(paid) work in a garden; you can decide if you want to add them as basic
chores or regard them as “extra,” paid chores. Mowing and maintaining the lawn;
varnishing wooden structures, chairs, tables, or other furniture; painting
permanent structures; annual tree planting or trimming; adding fertilizer on
regular basis to grass or beddings; cleaning the fish pond; raking up autumn
leaves; and weeding flowerbeds are examples of outside chores that children can
carry out successfully—and they’re fun too! Projects for older children could
include building a tree house, swings, ladders, and structures for imaginary play,
e.g., boats, tents, prisons.
Do things
outside regularly: have picnics lunch or dinner outside, do
art outside, read on a blanket or a swing or on the grass, have tea under a
tree, play badminton, play ball games, pitch a tent and camp in your backyard
with a real fire to cook a meal on, watch the stars and seek out
constellations, or study the moon’s cycle for a month.
Teach your
children observational skills as you do this yourself. For
example, highlight changes in seasons and nature every time you are outside;
watch the leaves fall; experience the warmth, the cold, changes in light,
length of day, and how much the wind is blowing; and observe how much or little
rain falls and then talk about God’s design for seasons of growth and rest.
Learn to observe weather in all its forms. Matthew 6:28 (AMP) says, “Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow.”
Intentionally let
nature study be part of “school”—apart from conducting science
experiments outside, have your child prepare a speech/report about your own
bird gardens as part of your science studies, or do a work project when trying
to attract birds to the garden, e.g., building a feeder, or teach your children
how to prepare the garden soil for the new planting season—as you do it
together.
Being
outdoors is healthy and good and provides many informal learning opportunities
with little effort! Both children and adults will benefit from being outdoors
more. I truly believe God is revealing to us His character, wisdom, and wonder
in nature, so getting out in nature often will have an impact on our souls and
spirits. You will not be untouched when you “look out for God” in nature. Let
us help our children also to have this experience as we allow them outdoor fun!
“The meadows are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered with
grain; they shout for joy and sing together” (Psalm 65:13, AMP).
Five Rules
for Moms When Children Are Outside
1. Let them
get dirty! This is very important, and it will prevent grief (yours, not theirs)
if you dress them appropriately beforehand.
2. Allow
them some time to get into the play, even if it takes a while. Sometimes they
need to warm up a bit before they really start to build “that dam” you
suggested.
3. Allow
them to do what they want to do. Sometimes they just want to sit a while on the
swing. That is okay. Offer them that quiet time.
4. Encourage
them to collect things. This is a hard one, and I agree that one should have
limits and rules, e.g., snakes are not allowed in the house and spiders cannot
roam free.
5. Permit
them to explore and experiment with nature. This does not include allowing them
to torture or destroy any animal or plant, but do allow them the odd breaking
of a rock to see what is inside or carefully taking apart a flower or seed to analyse
the intricate design for themselves.
I love the season of life I now live, as a South African homeschool
mother of three precious children and happily married. I love to research and read wholesome,
intelligent, and value-adding information, and I enjoy sharing what I learn.
Find support to continuously improve
your homeschool on my website, www.homeschooling-curriculum-guide.com,
pointing YOU in the right direction, whether you are just starting out or have
been doing this for a while.
Copyright
2012, used with permission. All rights
reserved by author. Originally appeared
in the June 2012 issue of The Old
Schoolhouse® Magazine, the family education magazine. Read the magazine free at www.TOSMagazine.com or read
it on the go and download the free apps at www.TOSApps.com to read
the magazine on your mobile devices.
