Without nature, the little children suffer – Opinion – ABC Environment (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Without nature, the little children suffer – Opinion – ABC Environment (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

You'll have to excuse me if these next few items aren't timely. I save them when I see them and rarely have time to post them.  Regardless of when they were written they're still very pertinent.

An exceptionally in depth article about disconnection from nature and the toll it has taken on the current adult and child generations. I would advise reading the original from the link above as it is hyperlinked to a large amount of relevant research.

Full article can be read from the link above. 

  

""Most adults climbed trees and played outdoors when they were children. But today's young people don't play outdoors like their parents. It's an omission with grave implications.

WE COME ALIVE FOR WHAT WE hold near and dear. It's hard to be impassioned for a cause which feels remote.

Charities know this. It's why they bring impoverished third world villagers, or cancer suffers, into our lounge room, via the telly: if they can make us connect with the issue, we are more inclined to support it.

Environmental activists are emboldened to speak up because they perceive they are about to lose something. Something they truly, deeply connect with.

"In wildness is the preservation of the world." With these few words, American philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, succinctly captured humanity's fate. Nature is unruly, untamed. But it is also our future.

Yet we so often talk of 'The Environment' as if it exists elsewhere else, a distant entity that humankind is not connected to. A naughty, wild child, whom we might put in a room and close the door on, for a bit of 'time out'.

We may have disconnected from nature, but we are delusional if we think we can live without it. Ignoring the value and contribution of nature to our well being is, quite literally, life threatening.

But ignoring is exactly what we're doing. In his seminal 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods, author Richard Louv, gave this ignorance a term: Nature Deficit Disorder. While not a medically recognised condition, there is an ever expanding body of work which supports Louv's central theme: that deprivation of a relationship with nature is fraught with multiple health and welfare issues. For people. And planet.

There's head-shaking anecdotal evidence of our disconnect with nature, such as the story I was told of kids too scared to play in their own backyard, because they'd heard that insects wee and poo out there.

Scientific corroboration is also abundant. The Children and Nature Network has a collection of research papers, published between 2009 and 2011, which explored benefits to kids from contact with the outdoors. The list of abstracts alone runs to 68 pages.

Research such as Planet Ark's recent examinations of Australian childhood interaction with nature today, relative to a generation ago. One of the findings being that, "64 per cent of respondents reported climbing trees when they were children as compared to less than 20 per cent of their children."

The Danish Society for Nature Conservation observed very similar findings in their survey of 2,000 Danes:"59 per cent of grandparents reported visiting a natural setting every day during the summer when they were children, as compared to... just 26 per cent of children today."

Four hundred German and Lithuanian high school students participated in research that found "children's emotional affinity towards nature was a significant predictor of children's willingness for pro-environmental commitment."

A related study in the USA set out to "understand what leads children to continue participating in natural history-oriented professions/education/hobbies as a young adult." The research concluded that a such vocational choice results from "early childhood and is driven by direct, informal and unstructured experiences with nature (from wildlands to vacant lots)."

For many Aussies their introduction to camping and outside adventures began with involvement in Scouts and Guides. Five years ago the international Scout movement celebrated 100 years of life in the great outdoors. But it was a bittersweet centenary. In 2001, Australia had 2,126 Scout Groups, yet by 2011 this had shrunk to just 1,524. A noteworthy decline, coming on the back of a significant modernisation drive within Scouting.

Where did all those budding young Baden Powells go? Inside.

For 98 per cent of Australian children, "watching TV or videos out of school hours remains the most common recreational activity of children aged 5 to 14 years." So revealed the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in the 2003 study, Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities.Experiencing nature in an outdoor setting can help tackle not only physical health
problems such as obesity and coronary heart disease, but also mental health problems

A follow up report in 2006 noted that "[N]ot only was the participation rate highest for 'watching television, videos or DVDs', on average, children involved spent more time on this activity than on any of the other selected activities." In a study published last year, the ABS reported that whereas a tad over half of all children were playing games online in 2006, by 2009 and this had increased to just shy of 70 per cent. The ABS also noted that 17 per cent of kids 8 to 14 had a computer in their bedroom.

Researchers at the University of Sydney discovered that "Children who spend more time in outdoor sport activities and less time watching TV have better retinal microvascular structure." Retinal blood vessels have been linked to cardiovascular disease risk factors and blood pressure.

A couple of years ago the Australian national depression initiative, Beyond Blue, engaged Associate Professor Mardie Townsend of Deakin University's Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences to investigate any health benefits from including the outdoors in our lives. She observed, "Experiencing nature in an outdoor setting can help tackle not only physical health problems such as obesity and coronary heart disease, but also mental health problems - and there is plenty of evidence to support the claim." Laying out that evidence in her 160-page report.

Drawing on the work of Kurt Hahn, pioneer of experiential learning and the guy behind Outward Bound and the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, Expeditionary Learning schools cite as one of their core principles, "direct respectful relationship with the natural world refreshes the human spirit and teaches the important ideas of recurring cycles and cause and effect. Students learn to become stewards of the earth and of future generations."

Developing this early connection with nature is not just some bucolic vision of the 'nuts and berries' crowd. It also has a deep and profound influence on children's intellectual health as well. Richard Louv's book is packed with examples, including the school who educated their kids out amongst local rivers, mountains and forests, "96 per cent of [their] students meet or exceed state standards for math problem-solving—compared to only 65 per cent of eighth graders at comparable middle schools."

I'm not suggesting that everyone need spend 738 days hugging a tree like Julia Hill or Miranda Gibson. There are a host of mainstream opportunities for our children to learn about, and from, the outdoors. There's school endorsed outdoor education experiences, or Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden programs as currently embraced by 267 Australian primary schools. From horticultural therapy to care farming. Or Scouts and Guides. And let's not forget family weekends camping in the bush; or simply get down and dirty, rolling in the grass and watching bees in the backyard or nearby park, with Mum and Dad.

For as William Shakespeare penned, "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."

Society too disconnected with nature - Home & Garden - MiamiHerald.com

Society too disconnected with nature - Home & Garden - MiamiHerald.com

You'll have to excuse me if these next few items aren't timely. I save them when I see them and rarely have time to post them. Regardless of when they were written they're still very pertinent.

Full article can be read from the link above.   

Understanding nature helps children see the interconnectedness of our ecosystem and the delicate balance required to preserve it. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Do you notice a disconnect between the natural world and our daily life? Do you wonder why obesity is quickly becoming our country’s biggest health issue? Questions like these prompted author Richard Louv to coin the term “nature-deficit disorder” in response to the growing problems that stem from society’s dependence on the indoors. The concept that we need to unplug and spend more time outdoors is not a recent development; botanical educators have been sounding the same anthem for decades.

Why is it important to connect to our natural world? Can’t we just learn what we need from the Discovery Channel or our iPad?

While it may seem frivolous to schedule “outdoor time,” researchers are finding that it can contribute to our physical and mental health, especially in children. It has been found that children who have access to and utilize outdoor spaces are less likely to exhibit symptoms of attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, have less anxiety and improved balance skills. They are also less likely to become overweight and are able to cope with stressful situations better than children who do not have outdoor experiences.

How can we overcome nature-deficit disorder? Believe it or not, pediatricians are now prescribing “nature” to their patients who are struggling with obesity and other health issues. Garden strolls and retreats to natural areas have long been used by physicians to help their patients.

You don’t have to wait for a doctor to tell you to get outside — be sure to enjoy those moments daily. Allow for children to have “unstructured” time when they can use their imaginations and explore their world.

Safe places to play are very important. Botanic gardens, school gardens, parks and even your own backyard can all be perfect areas to help children (and adults) overcome nature-deficit disorder.

As we dedicate time to observing nature, we develop a “sense of place.” What is a sense of place? It is something different for each of us but a very important component of a healthy life. Knowing who you are and where you came from enables you to see where you want to go and what possibilities are in your future. As we move towards a global society where information is just a click away, these local connections become even more vital in building our concept of self.

When we look at the bigger picture, engaging in outdoor play not only benefits us physically, it also opens doors to understanding the natural rhythms and life cycles of our local environment. Getting to know your neighbors — local plants, animals and humans — allows you to see the interconnectedness of our ecosystem and the delicate balance we all must work to preserve.

Ready to accept the challenge? Go ahead, unplug your laptop, leave your phone at home and take a walk in the natural beauty that is all around you!

Learning for Life: Practical Tips for Making Outdoor Learning a Reality (Guest Post by Emily Plank)

Learning for Life: Practical Tips for Making Outdoor Learning a Reality (Guest Post by Emily Plank)

You'll have to excuse me if these next few items aren't timely. I save them when I see them and rarely have time to post them.  Regardless of when they were written they're still very pertinent.

Great guest post on Learning for Life by Emily Plank. Whilst I can quite easily design a natural playspace we often forget that naturalistic play and the benefits derived from it are a state of mind, both for educators and children. Emily provides a detailed and practical account of her personal experience in developing both a natural play philosophy and natural play space area/experiences.  


"Absolutely delighted to have Emily from Abundant Life Children guest posting this week, sharing her thoughts on how to create an outdoor area that allows for real quality learning.

Emily Plank is passionately passionate about care for children in their early years. She is a play-enthusiast, expert block-builder, and skilled storyteller, honing her skills during her days with the children at her in-home program, Abundant Life Children. When she’s not playing, she is tirelessly spreading the message of play and respect to those who work with children (teachers, parents, and policy makers) through her blog, abundantlifechildren.com, and her in-person workshops and presentations.



Practical Tips for Making Outdoor Learning a Reality

I am one of those “outdoor education” types: championing the child’s right to be muddy, cheering unstructured time in nature, encouraging adventure, and supporting efforts to unplug. Yet, despite my utopian idea of young children busily building forts or crouching to inspect the tiny wings of a moth, actually developing a style of education that works outside is an ongoing challenge!
I grew up a city girl in Southern California. Despite what you might assume, I spent a good deal of time outside engaged in typical childhood endeavors of tree climbing and endless swinging. Mostly, I remember playing for long stretches with my brothers or my friends, making up story lines to mimic the realities we observed around us.

My mission as an early childhood educator has been to identify the critical elements of nature play and find a way to make those elements work-able in my day-to-day experience. I am an in-home care provider, meaning I am charged with the care and education of a small crew of seven children with a wide age range (currently, 15 months old – 4.5 years old). They arrive at my home around 8:00 am and stay until 5:30 pm. I am responsible for preparing meals (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack). I clean, I assist with toileting, I encourage thoughtful interactions between children, and I structure the day.

Through the process of developing my space, I have found several key elements and ways of implementing those elements that have been very successful in my setting.

1. Defined spaces. Environment signals usage. Cluttered spaces signify high intensity activities and chaos (think giant, unordered toy boxes). Partitioned, disconnected spaces suggest inflexibility in material movement. Wide-open fields offer spaces for running and kick a ball, but limit small-motor, creative play.

Strategically designing an outdoor classroom involves balancing the many uses: areas for art, areas for small gatherings of 1-2 children, open areas for running and jumping, areas for creative expression, and areas for messy and dirty play. One of our favorite and most frequently used areas is a large rectangular area with a mulch base. It serves as our art and outdoor eating area, since it is a natural space for messy activities.


2. Independence – keeping the children in charge. My firm belief is that one of the greatest gifts we can give to children is to foster their sense of competency. How frustrating is it to want to do something, but lack the ability? An outdoor classroom should provide lots of child sized items, movable step stools, and clearly defined and age-appropriate expectations.

On nice days, we frequently take our shoes off outside (sand + shoes = bummer!). But, keeping track of seven pairs of shoes is an impossible task for me. Children at Abundant Life are clear about the expectation: if you take your shoes off, put them on the shoe shelf where they can be easily found later.

3. Water. For play, and for washing. Children need water to facilitate their experiences with other materials (dirt, sand, grass, etc.), to expand their basic mathematical and spatial development, and to clean up when they are ready to come inside.

A water hose with an on-off valve that children can activate on their own, a sophisticated water pump allowing children to draw water whenever they want, or even a large group size water thermos on a low table can provide the opportunity for children to collect water for their play whenever they want.


4. Specific interest areas. The following is a list of areas that I think are a “must have” in outdoor classrooms. Some of these areas rotate in my outdoor classroom, but all are available at any moment when the need arises.

Digging space – an unused dirt patch in the corner or a dedicated sandbox. Children should be able to dig deep and mix with water. Keeping kitchen materials nearby facilitates dramatic play with mud or sand.

Levels – children want to climb in order to see the world from a different point of view. When we finished digging for our sand pits, we used the dirt to create a grassy knoll in the middle of our yard. Large tree stumps, moveable wooden crates, or heavy-duty wooden blocks that can be stacked accomplish the same idea.

Tinkering area – loose parts and fasteners. Consider hammers and nails, string, tape, glue, natural materials such as pinecones and acorns, small pieces of wood, wooden wheels, and popsicle sticks.







Mixing station – an assortment of dry and liquid materials for children to combine and mix. In the past, we’ve included oats, vinegar, oil, baking soda, lotion, syrup, liquid water color, sand, dried beans, rice, and sequins. Some areas prohibit the use of food items for sensory play as it can send a conflicting message about the use of food, so deciding on what materials to include requires some reflection.

What about you? My outdoor program is always changing…do you have ideas that are on your “must-include” list when you take children outside? Leave a note below in the comments – I’d love to hear your ideas!

Let your children go tree-climbing: National Trust attacks parents who mollycoddle | Mail Online

Let your children go tree-climbing: National Trust attacks parents who mollycoddle | Mail Online
You'll have to excuse me if these next few items aren't timely. I save them when I see them and rarely have time to post them.  Regardless of when they were written they're still very pertinent.

Another report examining how phantom fears of potential liability and a hyperactive media have been instrumental in separating children and nature. Not really sure about, "a generation of weaklings"
Full article can be read from the link above.   

Children are being cut off from nature by mollycoddling parents who refuse to let them play out in the rain, climb trees and get dirty, according to a National Trust inquiry.

In a report out today, the charity urges parents to give youngsters wellies and a raincoat and send them outdoors to build dens, make mud pies and go bug-hunting.

It warns that children are increasingly leading ‘sedentary and sheltered’ lives due to health and safety fears, the rise of indoor entertainment such as video games and the decline of outdoor activities in school.

Children should be encouraged to play outdoors and allowed to climb trees, according to a National Trust inquiry

Council bureaucrats and police sometimes have ‘negative attitudes’ and regard outdoor play as ‘something to be stopped rather than encouraged’. But parents are the most powerful influence over their children’s exposure to nature and the countryside, the two-month inquiry concluded.

Interviews with groups of children found that many had picked up messages from their parents that the outdoors is dangerous and they shouldn't go out in the rain in case they ‘slip or catch a cold’. Activities such as climbing trees were also seen as too risky.

Only older boys were regularly allowed out without an adult, with others closely supervised, according to the interviews conducted by research firm Childwise on behalf of the Trust.

Grandparents also have a role to play, according to the inquiry, since they are likely to have spent more time outdoors as children and could pass this on to younger generations. The National Trust inquiry, which canvassed the views of organisations and members of the public as well as children, also found that youngsters’ time is ‘over-scheduled and pressured’ – often with activities that cost money.

‘The power of family life in shaping children’s experiences was perhaps the most emphatic message underlined by respondents,’ the report said. The inquiry was launched following the publication of a report in March, commissioned by the Trust, which found that children’s health and well-being was being damaged because they are losing touch with nature.

Stephen Moss, the naturalist and broadcaster who wrote the report, warned that youngsters were suffering from ‘nature deficit disorder’ and growing up ‘a generation of weaklings’.

The Ecology of Hope: Reconnecting Children and Nature : Living Green Magazine

The Ecology of Hope: Reconnecting Children and Nature : Living Green Magazine


You'll have to excuse me if these next few items aren't timely. I save them when I see them and rarely have time to post them.  Regardless of when they were written they're still very pertinent.

Great article. It focusses on the idea that just like hair or eye colour, comprehension and appreciation of  nature is hereditary. Hereditary in the nurture sense.


Full article can be read from the link above.   

Ecology is a term my grandfather, Perl Charles, taught me. He was born in 1899, the oldest of four children of Bula and Tom Charles, who settled in New Mexico in 1907. Granddad, as were many in the family, was a lifelong conservationist. Humorous and wise, he epitomized common sense.

He taught me that all parts of any environment, living and nonliving, exist in relationship to one another in an ecology. Combine ecology with hope, and we get what I am calling the Ecology of Hope.

For many reasons, beginning with the enormity of the challenges we face – from the malaise of the culture of depression to the ravages of lost biodiversity and global climate change, to the fragmentation of families, to the disillusion of many youth – we, who can, need to demonstrate the positive power of the Ecology of Hope.

We can exercise the will, make conscious choices, and cultivate a sense of efficacy in ourselves and others. We can make life better for children, and ourselves, by opening the door to the first classroom – the natural world, from backyards to neighborhoods to parks and public places.

We can inspire in children a belief that the world can be a better place. We can go a long way to achieving that goal by reconnecting children and nature.

......We together can heal the separation between children and nature. We can reestablish a healthy, natural balance between technology and natural systems. We can build a movement that succeeds in reconnecting children and nature and in that process inspires a new generation to believe in a better future.

We can be a generation that leaves a legacy of leadership and an Ecology of Hope.


Cheryl Charles, Ph.D., is an educator, author, innovator and organizational executive, and cofounder of the Children & Nature Network(Cnaturenet.org).

Suzuki Foundation and teachers make connecting kids with nature part of the lesson plan - thestar.com

Suzuki Foundation and teachers make connecting kids with nature part of the lesson plan - thestar.com

You'll have to excuse me if these next few items aren't timely. I save them when I see them and rarely have time to post them.  Regardless of when they were written they're still very pertinent.

Full article can be read from the link above.   

Mother Nature is not far beyond the classroom door. But when schoolchildren go looking for her, it often involves bus rides, permission slips and expeditions to conservation areas.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Especially this fall, when teachers of Grades 4 and 6 will have a new tool to get kids outside and immersed in the nature at their fingertips.

Connecting with Nature is a new educational guide developed by the David Suzuki Foundation and Nipissing University’s Schulich School of Education. The 170-page book is available for free on the foundation’s website.

“It expands the walls of the classroom, it goes beyond the blackboard and gets (students) out there using their senses as they learn,” says Jenny Guibert, one of two project managers for the guide and an education instructor at Nipissing’s Brantford campus. “It’s how kids get that instant connection with nature.”

....That’s why the 16 lesson plans — aligned with the Ontario curriculum — include activities like a walkabout in the schoolyard to identify nature, and treks through the neighbourhood to find sources of water, pollinators and to track how many people are walking, cycling, driving or waiting at bus stops. These then become springboards for discussing topics like biodiversity, water conservation and green transportation.

.....Until recently, the focus was on teaching kids about issues like recycling and climate change. Now, it’s on cultivating a love of nature first, and helping children recognize and appreciate it exists.“That has to be the starting point, especially with that age group,” says Clare. “You want to build on that sense of wonder.”

.....The Toronto District School Board is enthusiastic because it fits with their initiatives to promote“eco-schools” and recent plans to convert parts of schoolyards into “nature study areas,” says board superintendent Jeff Hainbuch.  ......“You can’t learn about that connectedness just from a textbook,” he says. “But you don’t have to go to an outdoor ed centre to do that either.”

Jordan Tamblyn remembers what it’s like to be a kid catching frogs, picking flowers and exploring the woods near her cottage...... “Kids inherently want to go outside and that’s where they do most of their learning,” says Tamblyn.

PROJECT WILD THING: A feature-length documentary by David Bond & Ashley Jones — Kickstarter

PROJECT WILD THING: A feature-length documentary by David Bond & Ashley Jones — Kickstarter

A cinema documentary about nature, evolution and the future of childhood.  Tessa Rose has pledged their support how about you?

Preschool Education Deserves Expansion, Investment: National Education Policy Center Brief

Preschool Education Deserves Expansion, Investment: National Education Policy Center Brief

Many years ago I attended a seminar lead by James Garbarino, who had studied how  positive early childhood education experiences could affect adult education social and moral outcomes. He urged awareness that a greater investment at this formative age would reduce subsequent spending on law and order, drug rehabilitation and other social remediation programmes. Looks like his message fell on deaf ears. Pity. It's always about money.

Full article can be read from the link above.

In a brief released Tueday, National Education Policy Center managing director Dr. William Mathis urges policymakers to invest in high-quality preschool education, citing its universally acknowledged economic and social benefits.

According to Mathis, in inflation-adjusted dollars, overall funding per child is lower than a decade ago, despite the fact that high-quality, intensive preschool education for at least two years has been found to close as much as half the achievement gap.

Involvement in preschool programs can also yield more positive adult outcomes, such as fewer arrests, less drug use, fewer grade retentions, higher college attendance rates, higher employment and earnings, greater social mobility and less welfare dependency.

Mathis goes on to explain the key elements of a quality preschool program, which include small class sizes and ratios — 20 or fewer children, with two adults. He also says programs should boast well-trained, adequately compensated teachers and include strong links to social and health services. The author highlights the importance of featuring a mix of child-initiated and teacher directed activities, with adequate time for individualized and small group interactions.

According to Mathis’ brief, economically deprived children benefit most from preschool, but all children experience some advantage from participation in such programs. Branching off that, children from middle-income families tend to struggle with access because they are not eligible for programs like Head Start, which enrolls fewer students than state or district programs. Results indicate Head Start is a cost-effective program with lesser but nonetheless positive results, suggesting it should be retained but also strengthened

Besides broad investment in preschool, Mathis recommends states develop and monitor early education standards in order to ensure quality programs. Furthermore, programs should be expanded to include three-year-olds, with an emphasis on needy children and promoting the well-being of the “whole child.”

The results of a Chicago-based study released last June bolstered the findings from similar, smaller studies showing that high-quality preschool "gives you your biggest bang for the buck," according to Dr. Pamela High, chair of an American Academy of Pediatrics committee that deals with early childhood issues. The study tracked more than 1,000 low-income, mostly black Chicago children for up to 25 years, including nearly 900 who attended the city’s intensive Child-Parent Center Education Program in the early 1980s. Overall, those who attended the program fared much better in life than their peers who did not attend preschool, recording fewer arrest and securing better jobs.

Jeanne McCarty: Want to Interest More Kids in Science? Bring Science Down to Earth

Jeanne McCarty: Want to Interest More Kids in Science? Bring Science Down to Earth

I love the quote " Our children don't lose their curiosity once they enter school, but they often lose their drive to learn", how true. They often enter a one-size-fits-all system where anything not enshrined in the curriculum is considered a distraction. Any experience that is not quantifiable (for the purpose of ranking and obtaining funding) is interfering with "real" learning.

Full article can be read from the link above.

It may have seemed like just another day for NASA.

But when I heard that rapper Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas debuted his new song, "Reach for the Stars," from Mars, I grabbed my iPad to learn more. Here was a Grammy-winning artist promoting science education, and more specifically STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). His teenage fans could relate to something as unreachable as space exploration by connecting it to something they do every day -- listen to music.

As the Executive Director of REAL School Gardens, an organization that creates learning gardens that increase academic achievement, I applaud Will.i.am's efforts. I hope he's turned the heads of teens who might otherwise scoff at science. Will.i.am is right: we need to make STEM more appealing for young people, especially if we want to grow the pool of talent for scientific and technological innovation.

Without a solid foundation in science, students will find it difficult to integrate it with math, engineering, and technology. According to the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress, more than 60 percent of U.S. fourth graders aren't proficient in science. And even though our eight grade scores are on the rise, 65 percent of students weren't proficient in 2011. Our students are capable of so much more.

Science doesn't have to be as cool as sending a Will.i.am song to Mars to engage students. If we bring science down to Earth, we can use the simplest of resources to make it relevant: the outdoors. As a mother of a three-year-old boy, I am constantly reminded that science comes naturally to young children when they are outdoors. My son knows which brick to turn over to find roly polies, and when he finds them, the questions begin: Why do they live there? Do they live there when it rains? Do they like the summer? His drive to learn is strong, and while I like to think my son is special, his sense of wonder is common among children his age.

Our children don't lose their curiosity once they enter school, but they often lose their drive to learn. Once we start treating the outdoors as a living laboratory, children will continue exploring the things that attracted their attention in the first place.

Take for example a fourth-grade lesson on sedimentation. Teachers often extend a textbook lesson by bringing examples into the classroom or by building a hands-on model with cookies and whip cream. Children learn about these processes at a basic level, but probably don't know how to apply that knowledge in a real-world setting. Imagine what happens if you take children on a scavenger hunt to find examples of sedimentation on their school grounds. Children see sedimentation occurring in a natural setting, notice what else is at play in the environment, and understand the larger context in which the process occurs.

The outdoors -- and especially well-designed learning gardens -- also give purpose to data collection, experimentation and problem-solving. In an indoor classroom, students graph data that is given to them by their teacher. In a school garden they collect data that is necessary to the garden's growth and survival. They record and graph the daily temperature of their compost bin, determine the necessary conditions for decomposition, and problem solve if the compost cools down. At the same time, they learn about a sustainable way to manage waste.

In the climate of high-stakes testing and a growing achievement gap in our country, some may argue that outdoor teaching takes kids away from the classroom instruction they desperately need. The greater danger is depriving them of the engaging, interactive and real-world learning opportunities that nature provides. Rather than a substitute for "book learning," the outdoors and school gardens are living classrooms that reinforce, extend and bring to life what children are learning indoors.

Over the past nine years, REAL School Gardens has worked with 81 schools serving children from low-income families. We build learning gardens with a variety of educational features (vegetable beds, wildlife habitats, geology beds, composting systems, ponds and rain barrels, to name a few) and train teachers to use them as academic resources. This year, 84 percent of the fourth- and fifth-grade students surveyed report being more engaged in learning math and science while in their school's garden than the classroom.

Thank you again, Will.i.am, for your efforts to make science relevant for young people. But please don't forget: some of the most relevant things are much closer than Mars -- a step away, just beyond the classroom door.

Free Range Kids » Mom of Nut-Allergic Teens Asks School to Remove Oak Trees

Free Range Kids » Mom of Nut-Allergic Teens Asks School to Remove Oak Trees

Another great article from Lenore at Free Range Kids.

I understand the fear that drove the mother to demand such an extraordinary thing. I was once asked to design a playground with foliage "that won't attract birds, bees or any insects or animals". I think they went with another designer who gave them a "beautiful" KFC playground.  I was once told, "If you're very very careful, nothing bad, or good, will happen to your children".

Full article can be read from the link above.

Hi Readers — Here’s a story getting a lot of attention, for what I think are good reasons. As reported in today’s Toronto Star:

A York Region mother is fighting to have oak trees removed near her child’s school, fearing that acorns could pose a deadly threat to students with severe allergies.

Donna Giustizia said the young trees on property owned by the City of Vaughan next to the St. Stephen Catholic Elementary School are littering the area with acorns. The school, meanwhile, is nut-free to protect students with potentially life-threatening anaphylactic allergies.

“A false sense of security is putting a sign on the door that says nut-free and there’s nuts all over the place,” said Giustizia, who has two teenage children with anaphylactic food allergies, one of whom attends St. Stephen. “I’m not a crazy mom, I’m not asking for anything that’s not already there.”

 - I agree the mom isn’t crazy. But she also isn’t thinking straight. If she thinks the school should chop down all its trees, does she think the whole country should chop down its trees? Because it’s hard to believe that the only acorns her kids will ever encounter are those on school property.

It must be very scary to have children who are severely allergic. It is made scarier by the belief that the only way they can be safe is for their parents to personally hunt for and remove every possible trigger the kids could ever encounter. That’s impossible. No parent can create perfection, though it is this generation’s curse to try.

The truth is: We cannot child-proof the world, so it is our job to world-proof our children. Teach them how to be safe, prepare them for the path ahead, say a prayer and send them forth. – L.

Getting kids outdoors makes them happier, healthier – and smarter

Getting kids outdoors makes them happier, healthier – and smarter

An inspirational mother who has given her children an exceptional gift that will resonate through their lives.

Full article can be read from the link above.

"To Liza Sullivan, a mother of two, the Earth is more than the grass beneath her feet. It’s a place where her children foster creativity and confidence, develop character traits like empathy and resilience and learn the importance of taking risks. The quality of her twins’ growth is rooted in their time outdoors, she said.

So much so that two years ago, Sullivan decided against her kids’ last year of preschool, quit her job as the associate vice president of education at the Chicago Children’s Museum, and decided to use that time to teach the then-3 1/2 year olds on her own through free play and time in Chicago’s natural environment.

After visiting 50 parks in 50 days and returning to favorite forest preserves, nature centers, farms, museums, beaches and playgrounds throughout Chicago, Sullivan said her children have started kindergarten with an amazing foundation. Now she is committed to helping other parents who might not be professional, full-time educators through co-chairing the Let's Play initiative at the Alliance for Early Childhood and writing informative blogs.

..... During the time the Wilmette mom spent with her twins, she witnessed first-hand the benefits shown by research. At a forest preserve, her daughter used the setting to re-enact fairy tales. After her son saw a snake, that night he slithered around their living room. Even climbing a tree became a learning experience. The twins would determine which way would enable them to climb the highest, yet still deciding for themselves how high was too high. Their curiosity was endless, said Sullivan. “When we walked into nature, the kids’ play was different. It was much more open-ended and much more rich,” she said. “For them, it was more exciting and, for me, it was more of a respite.”

....Sullivan used her knowledge as an early-childhood educator and let her kids take the lead. They decided where they wanted to go that day and how they wanted to play. She modeled, read books and assisted her twins when necessary, but for the most part, the day was theirs.

......Letting go wasn’t easy. Sullivan said getting outdoors was a learning experience for her, too, as she had to get over the fear that her children’s safety was in jeopardy.......“It’s really scary to be a parent, but I don’t want my kids to be totally afraid,” she said. “I want them to feel they can trust their decisions, feel comfortable handling risk and know what to do if something goes wrong.”

The two years with her children were a luxury for Sullivan, and she understands time is an issue for most parents.....“Whether you have an hour or an afternoon,” she said, “if you can leave your watch, your Blackberry, or iPhone aside and just focus on your kids and the space you’re in, it’s an exhilarating experience for your family. It’s about getting back to the basics.”

In order to get back to the basics, she avoided scheduled activities. Organized sports and extracurricular activities were not a part of her family’s daily life. Instead, a backpack full of books and packed lunches ensured longer, more relaxed periods of time outdoors.

.........With winter approaching, there can be a tendency to spend less time outdoors. That doesn’t mean there aren’t outdoor-play opportunities available. “We went sledding, built forts, went for nature walks and went to the beach,” Sullivan said. “I found that if I bundled the twins up and brought hot cocoa that most days they were fine.”

Grow your own food to protect city from disaster, Sydneysiders urged

Grow your own food to protect city from disaster, Sydneysiders urged

An interesting article that talks about a topic that's very close to my own heart, self sufficiency. Something that comes from an awareness of my natural environment and a desire to participate in it. Awareness that ''The average distance food travels is 1500 kilometres'' means something is exceptionally wrong with our greater models of sustainability and survival.

Full article can be read from the link above.

SYDNEY'S fresh food would only last two or three days if a cataclysmic disaster struck, experts say.

Steven Newton, the chairman of the Retailers Action Working Group, which plans food industry responses to potential national crises such as pandemics or floods, said that ''fresh food would be the first thing to go in a crisis''.

He said the supply channels of Australia's increasingly concentrated and commercialised farming industry were more vulnerable to disaster shocks than the dispersed small-scale farming model of 30 years ago.

Sally Hill, of the Youth Food Network, wants to turn back the clock to a time when fresh food came from local farms distributed across the urban hinterland and people grew vegetables in their backyards.

''The average distance food travels is 1500 kilometres,'' Ms Hill said. ''If anything interrupts that flow you have a real crisis on your hands.''

The Youth Food Movement, which grew out of the global slow food movement, argues that sourcing food locally and from smaller farms would not only insulate supply from the interruptions of disasters but also alleviate longer-term threats to food security such as climate change.

''If we had a really broad network of people going through local [farmers] or growing it themselves in their backyard you have a lot more resilient system,'' Ms Hill said. ''That tackles a whole lot of associated problems, like emissions from transporting food.'' She encourages young urbanites to think critically about where their food comes from and buy from local farmers - or grow their own.

But getting young people interested and involved in agriculture is a difficult undertaking. The Bureau of Statistics has found the average Australian farmer is 55. Enrolments in agriculture courses are down dramatically. This year the University of Western Sydney's campus in Richmond - formerly Hawkesbury Agricultural College - suspended its agriculture course due to low student interest.

Making people think about food and improving the prestige and profitability of farming, by cutting out the middle man, is her solution. ''We don't know what it's like to produce food,'' Ms Hill said. ''If people grow one vegetable they will never look at food the same way and underestimate the value of the farmer.''

A change of mindset, Ms Hill said, would not just strengthen Australian food security, but was also required for action on the global food shortage. ''We grow around 6000 calories per person per day: enough to feed us all three times over,'' she said. ''The issue is not food production; it's food distribution.''

Mr Newton said urban farming was unlikely to ever substitute for a commercial system with economies of scale and meet the demands of a much larger population. But he agreed it should complement commercial farming and make Sydney less vulnerable
.

Philip Chard - Our 'nature deficit disorder' needs a remedy

Philip Chard - Our 'nature deficit disorder' needs a remedy

Philip Chard is a psychotherapist, author and trainer - pschard@earthlink.net or philipchard.com.

A very interesting article. Chard displays surprise that we as a species are so ignorant of our environment, often to the extent of paying for that ignorance with our lives. I don't think it is ignorance. To me ignorance is something that is unknown. However the separation with our environment that I see on a daily basis is borne out of an active fear and apathy and the "pink fluffy cloud" world most of us exist in where everything will be the same as it is forever.

Full article can be read from the link above.

We live on a planet, but a lot of us don't act like it.

We suffer what eco-psychologists call "nature deficit disorder," which is the absence of both knowledge about and a heartfelt connection with the natural world. Unfortunately, examples abound.

I am flummoxed to hear of people who are oblivious to nature's laws, often to their peril. Consider one couple who died less than a mile from a convenience store because they hiked into the unforgiving Sonora Desert in midday with no water. Then there are folks who drive into rising water during a flash flood. It takes less than 2 feet of water to float most vehicles, transforming them into flotsam and, too often, coffins.

During my backpacking forays, I've encountered day hikers attempting to summit alpine peaks without food, water or appropriate gear, including boots (I've seen them in flip-flops). Others have sought my guidance after dropping their GPS in a river because they didn't know basic navigation.

I mean it's not Disney World out there. Particularly when venturing into the wild, one should be self-sufficient and well versed about the local ecosystem. When you're beset by hypothermia or dehydration, or injured in a fall, a tram isn't going to come along and pluck you from the wilderness like it's some theme park.

What's more, many people lack a rudimentary understanding of weather, including how to recognize an approaching storm, safety around lightning, what to do if caught in the open near a tornado, etc.

Unfortunately, these individual examples echo throughout the larger culture, explaining, in part, why we are depleting and poisoning the planet upon which we are utterly dependent for our existence while also busily denying that our abusive activities are having any deleterious effects. It's ostrich-with-its-head-in-the-sand stuff, and ominously frightening.

I believe our collective ignorance in this regard is a product of having so many individuals who are alienated from, and clueless about, the natural world.

Recently, I asked a 10-year-old where milk came from, and she replied, "Pick 'n Save." I laughed and told her I meant its original source, but she only stared back blankly. Years ago when my daughter was carping about having to take swimming lessons and asked me why she had to, I replied, "Because two-thirds of the planet is water." We live here.

Our indifference toward the power of Mother Earth creates a "What, me worry?" attitude toward trashing the planet, which is pretty self-destructive given that nature can level any human edifice and any species. It builds mountains, carves canyons and wipes the land clean with fires, storms and floods. It gives us air to breathe, food, water and the very atoms that make up our bodies. And it can take them away.

I think that deserves a little respect. As residents of this planet, we need to learn about and adapt ourselves to its realities, as well as balance our lifestyles in keeping with its laws, not our own.

If not, we'll collectively end up like that couple on the Sonora Desert.

Let them love the land before they need to save it - The Irish Times - Tue, Sep 04, 2012

Let them love the land before they need to save it - The Irish Times - Tue, Sep 04, 2012

An very interesting Irish perspective on the effect of nature deprivation on children

Full article can be read from the link above.                                                                                                                             
                                                                         
Parents and teachers’ concerns about health and safety have disconnected children from their land. When the term “nature deficit disorder” was first coined by writer Richard Louv in 2005, it sounded laughable. Only in America . . .
                                                                                However, the US perspective on modern living has
a habit of creeping up on us and, just seven years later,
it doesn’t seem such an over-statement of the problem after all. Parents’ fear for the safety of their children combined with the lure of screens indoors means there is an increasing disconnect between youngsters and the natural world.

The effects of this on their physical and mental health are seen, it is argued, in rising figures for childhood obesity, attention-deficit problems and depression.

Some 60 per cent of Ireland’s population now lives in cities or towns and, even in rural areas, children are so often driven from A to B, they have little opportunity to engage with the landscape...

Even if they live in “one-off” rural housing, their lifestyle may be closer to their city peers than neighbouring children growing up in farm families who are focused on the land.

Farmers’ markets, which have become increasingly popular in urban areas over the past decade, go some way to bridging what was an ever-widening gulf between the consumption of food and its origin. Consumers have more interest now in “local food” and meeting the people who produce it.

Schools can learn a lot from farmers’ markets, according to David Sobel a US academic who promotes place-based education. He was in Ireland recently to address a two-day symposium entitled From Apathy to Empathy – reconnecting people and place. .....“Schools should be more locally grown – reflective of the culture, heritage and nature of that area rather than being homogenised,” he tells The Irish Times during a break in the symposium, which was organised by Burrenbeo Trust in Kinvara, Co Galway, and supported by the Heritage Council.

At the same time as children have become more cooped up at home, so have schools become more isolated within their own walls – for similar reasons. Concerns about health and safety limit the chances pupils have of being allowed outside the classroom, never mind beyond the school boundaries.

By making the walls between schools and their local community more permeable, education becomes more grounded, more concrete and more accessible, argues Sobel. Primary school children should be learning the geography of their neighbourhood before they start learning the geography of the whole country or other continents........“All those free play experiences in the natural world – building forts and picking your own paths in the woods – are the basis for environmental values and behaviours in adulthood,” he points out. “If we don’t have kids out doing that stuff, we are ensuring they will not be environmentally responsible when they get older.”

........There are many barriers to taking children outdoors, including concerns about the risks, the demands of the curriculum and worries about managing a large group outside. These have prevented the access to the outdoors that she believes most people want for their children. “It is about trying to change the perspective of the value of being outdoors and learning outdoors.”

........Younger teachers may not have grown up with much outdoor play themselves, she points out, and can lack the interest or confidence in bringing their young charges outside......“In our own heads, we think Johnny is brilliant if he can work a computer. We have no value on Johnny being able to climb a tree.”

.......Teachers are uncomfortable taking children outside, agrees Sobel. “They don’t know how to create good outdoor learning environments and good outdoor learning expectations.” They have to get it across to children they are not going out for a break but for learning......Adapting the national curriculum to the local community does take effort, he acknowledges. “It is harder work to figure out how to teach subtraction using the trees on the playground. It takes effort but it is doable.”

There is also a mindset among parents, particularly of secondary school children, that trips outside the classroom detract from the “real” business of school, which needs to be challenged....“There is a lot of research that suggests that when you do this engagement in real challenges or issues in the community, the need for the learning is much more obvious to the students,” says Sobel...........

The Best Playground Is The One Nature Provided | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation

The Best Playground Is The One Nature Provided | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation

The picture takes me back. Long careless lunch breaks in the playground. It's been a long time since I felt "care-less", how about you? Great article.

Full article can be read from the link above.

You can take homo sapiens out of the wilderness, but not the wilderness out of humans it appears. For decades, scientists have reported our species exhibits a consistent, if not quite understood, response to spending time around nature: it boosts our mental and physical well being.

.......... A 2001 study of public housing found the mere presence of trees and grass reduced reduced reported aggression and violence. Another showed people shown a stressful movie recovered to a normal state--as measured by metrics such as heart rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure--"faster and more completely" when exposed to natural rather than urban environments.Children spent twice as much time playing in the natural landscape, and were less sedentary after the renovation.

Those studies are now moving out into everyday life. One of the most recent in the area by the University of Tennessee looked at the way natural playgrounds--built from wooden structures, gardens, and other natural features--affected children’s behavior compared to conventional plastic, metal and "artificial" playscapes.

Dawn Coe, an assistant professor in the Department of kinesiology, recreation, and sport studies at the University of Tennessee spent time observing the behavior and time children spent playing on a local playground. After playground renovations added a gazebo, slides, trees, a creek, and a natural landscape of rocks, flowers and logs, Coe returned a year later to observe differences. Working with a statistician, Coe found children spent twice as much time playing in the natural landscape, and were less sedentary after the renovation and more active.

“Natural playscapes appear to be a viable alternative to traditional playgrounds for school and community settings,” said Coe in a university statement. “Future studies should look at these changes long-term as well as the nature of the children’s play.” ...........Cities aren’t waiting for definitive studies. Natural playscapes are part of a growing trend appearing in cities across the US including Boston, Phoenix, Chicago, New York, Auburn and others.

Screen-addicted children may have newest mental illness

Screen-addicted children may have newest mental illness
Finally the people who define the "norm" have realised that there may be a problem with younger children being introduced to computers (which are just tools) without proper guidelines or supervision.  To have them finally formally categorise the problem means that the symptoms are showing. How long until we (collectively) do something about it. Although as I write this I'm watching a mother in a shopping centre , actively ignoring her children as she bonds with her iPhone - I wonder where the children get these ideas from?

Full article can be read from the link above.

Children addicted to using electronic devices 24/7 will be diagnosed with a serious mental illness if a new addiction, included as ''internet-use disorder'' in a worldwide psychiatric manual, is confirmed by further research.

The formal inclusion of the new addiction has been welcomed by Australian psychology professionals in response to a wave of ''always-on'' technology engulfing kids.

The Sun-Herald has spoken to parents of children as young as seven who are aggressive, irritable and hostile when deprived of their iPads or laptops. Psychologists argue video game and internet addictions share the characteristics of other addictions, including emotional shutdown, lack of concentration and withdrawal symptoms if the gadgets are removed........

......Commentary in the United States about the move has raised the spectre of children being over-treated and even medicated for playing computer games.

But some Australian psychologists argue there should be an even broader diagnosis of internet-use addiction, allowing proper treatment of children obsessed by other technologies such as texting and a proliferation of devices such as iPads, tablets and Nintendo DS.

Reflecting problems with children's over-use of technology, Mike Kyrios from Swinburne University of Technology - one of the authors of the APS submission and a clinical psychologist with more than 15 years experience - is formally pushing for the revised manual to broaden internet-use disorder beyond gaming addictions...... ''With kids, gaming is an obvious issue. But overall, technology use could be a potential problem,'' he said.

........In January, Emil Hodzic, a qualified psychologist with seven years experience, established a video game addiction treatment clinic in Sydney's CBD, because of what he saw as growing demand from frustrated parents and damaged children. He said he was seeing clients as young as 12 addicted to the internet and video games.

.......Mr Hodzic said about 70 per cent of his clients were children and teenagers, with many showing addiction symptoms closely related to anxiety and depression. ''A lot of kids I have coming into the clinic have difficultly in being able to tolerate distress without zoning out via the internet or via the games,'' he said.

But psychiatrist Rhoshel Lenroot, the chairman of child psychiatry at the University of NSW, said it was still too early to know how detrimental technology overuse could be. ''I think [it] can be dangerous in not learning how to pay attention in a focused way, but in balance there is nothing wrong with technology.''

2012 Australian Kidsafe Awards, Childrens Services category.

TESS MICHAELS of TRPLD, super wicked ninja playspace designer and JAMIE MILLER of JM Landscapes, way cool awesome FIEB building legend, wish to congratulate Innaburra Anglican College Preschool, Bangor, New South Wale, winners of a Highly Commended Award in the 2012 Australian Kidsafe Awards, Childrens Services category.


Pictures of the completed  design/build can be seen below.  A link to the other Kidsafe winners in this category can be found HERE.

Inaburra Preschool Bangor, Sydney, New South Wales.

Inaburra Preschool

Bangor, Sydney, New South Wales

 Construction: J M Landscapes

The design brief for this project was to,

* Create a safer more natural environment that would provide clear supervisory sight lines,

* Incorporate "dead" space that had previously been used for retaining or had been nominated by child care
   regulatory bodies as unusable,

* Restructure the playground levels to provide a clear direct pathway from top to bottom, reducing trip 

   hazards and providing a gently ascent/descent for parents with prams,

* Repurposing the lower slopes to incorporate play and small group areas.     

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. 

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. 







Preschool playspace, Before, 2011. Top and middle tiers. The middle tier of the playground had stairs whose treads and risers were of equal size. This made it  difficult for children of this age group to  ascend/ descend safely. Additionally, the step treads were too small to be used for seating. It was requested that the new design should break up the open space in the tier to provide a series of smaller more intimate spaces.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. 

Preschool playspace, Before, 2011.  Middle and lower tiers. Educators advised that the fixed cargo/scramble net was rarely use by children and that the series of stepped concrete levels was providing a mobility difficulty for parents with prams and a trip hazard for the children.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Middle and lower tiers. In the fore ground is a small segment of the gently graduated Stoneset pathway that now links all levels. In the rear is a series of child dimensioned stairs that can be used for small group work or as ad-hoc seating for performances.

Preschool playspace, Before, 2011. Top and middle tiers. Educators reported that the children had grown bored with the fixed slide and were rolling down the adjacent slope instead.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Middle tier.

Preschool playspace, Before, 2011. Top and middle tiers. The sandpit had been built on a slope which caused the sand to flow downwards out of the pit and onto other areas of the play ground. A concrete wall had been build around the outer lower rim of the pit to prevent this. Educators advised that the wall was non-functional and unsightly .

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Top and middle tiers. The new sand pit is stepped and incorporates equipment boxes that double as seating, raised building platforms and a water channel that bisects the pit, doubles as a tier wall and empties into a dry creek bed watering the sensory plantings.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Top and middle tiers. Instead of emerging from a pump the water bubbles up from a sandstone cauldron before emptying into the rill. The water flow is controlled by an educator accessing a nearby tap which is fitted with a vandal proof keyed valve.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Top and middle tiers. The sandstone cauldron emptying into the rill.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Top and middle tiers. The sandstone rill acts as a terrace within the sand pit, a building platform and a source of water for the children and the vegetation within the creek bed.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Top and middle tiers. The sandstone rill.

Preschool playspace, Before, 2011. Middle tier. Prior to redevelopment the area beneath the sandpit was compacted grass, used by the children as an informal pathway to the sandpit. 

Preschool playspace, After,  2012. Middle tier. After  redevelopment the area incorporates a formal stepping stone pathway, a dry creek bed, a mini labyrinth/seating area and sensory plantings.

Preschool playspace, After,  2012. Middle tier. After  redevelopment the area incorporates a formal stepping stone pathway, a dry creek bed, a mini labyrinth/seating area and sensory plantings.

Preschool playspace, After,  2012. Upper tier. A large bamboo teepee seat is ringed with sensory plantings and fragrant climbers which will grow upward and between the poles creating a shaded intimated small group area/storytelling space.

Preschool playspace, Before, 2011. Lower tier.
Educators advised that they wished the area to be redesigned to create a safer, more natural environment that would provide clear supervisory sight lines, utilise "dead" space that had previously been used for retaining or had been nominated by child care regulatory bodies as unusable, and to re-purpose the lower slopes to incorporate play and small group areas.

Preschool playspace, Before, 2011. Lower tier.
Educators advised that they wished the area to be redesigned to create a safer, more natural environment that would provide clear supervisory sight lines, utilise "dead" space that had previously been used for retaining or had been nominated by child care regulatory bodies as unusable, and to re-purpose the lower slopes to incorporate play and small group areas.

Preschool playspace, After,  2012. A new mixed surface bike track.

Preschool playspace, Before, 2011. Lower tier.
"Dead" space that had previously been nominated by child care regulatory bodies as unusable.

Preschool playspace, After,  2012. Lower tier. Prior "dead" space has been re-purposed to incorporate play and small group areas.

Preschool playspace, Before, 2011. Lower tier.
"Dead" space that had previously been used for retaining .

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Middle and lower tiers. The slope between the middle and lower tiers is now has two separate climbing areas, (ropes and a climbing wall)  a double slide and a tunnel slide.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Middle and lower tiers. The slope between the middle and lower tiers is now has two separate climbing areas, (ropes and a climbing wall)  a double slide and a tunnel slide. 

Preschool playspace, After, 2012. Upper and middle tiers. A series of child dimensioned stairs that can be used for small group work or as ad-hoc seating for performances, a climbing wall and an  ascending log stepper causeway.

Preschool playspace, After, 2012.  Upper and middle tiers. A series of child dimensioned stairs that can be used for small group work or as ad-hoc seating for performances, a climbing wall and an  ascending log stepper causeway with sensory plantings.