Good Afternoon!
“It is before the age of 7 years when children desperately need to have a multitude of whole-body sensory experiences on a daily basis in order to develop strong bodies and minds. This is best done outside where the sense are fully ignited and young bodies are challenged by the uneven and unpredictable, ever-changing terrain”, said occupational therapist Angela Hanscom from the article titled ‘5 Reasons Outdoor Unstructured Play is Important for Preschoolers’.
We’re lucky here at Wee Friends. Our days do not involve a strict schedule so on any given day, we may go outside at 10:00 am or 10:45 am. Children guide the curriculum and ultimately our day. Thankfully, the weather has taken a turn for the better and we’ve been spending quite a bit of time outside.
Not only is outside play crucial to child development and our philosophy here at Wee Friends but the important part is having our outdoor time be ‘unstructured’. We don’t go outside and give orders or directions as to what children should be doing. This is a time for children to make their own, safe, and appropriate choices for their own body. There are children who could search for bugs for two hours straight while other children enjoy riding bikes, being involved in the sand area, or imaginative play with peers. At the end of the day, each and every child is leaving here with a meaningful learning experience in our outside environment.
I’ve attached a couple of articles that support outdoor play at this age.
http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2010/outdoor-play
“because little nature lovers grow into big nature lovers.”
Breakfast– Corn chex and PPC banana.
Lunch– Refried beans on whole wheat tortilla, fresh honeydew melon/watermelon/blueberries, and PPC cantaloupe/snap peas.
PM snack– Whole wheat cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese and PPC strawberries.
Wee Sprout– PPC cauliflower/tomatoes/snap peas.
Have a fantastic night!
-Mindy
Link to pictures: WF 5/8