Cultivating Outdoor Classrooms: Designing and Implementing Child-Centered Learning Environments

Cultivating Outdoor Classrooms: Designing and Implementing Child-Centered Learning Environments

<p>Create an outdoor learning program<br /><br />Transform outdoor spaces into learning environments where children can enjoy a full range of activities as they spend quality time in nature. This book is filled with guidance to help you plan, design, and create an outdoor learning program that is a rich, thoughtfully equipped, natural extension of your indoor curriculum. Loaded with practical and creative ideas, it also includes information to help you<br /><br />Understand how outdoor classrooms benefits children’s learning and development<br />Collaborate with other teachers, administrators, and families to make your outdoor classroom a reality<br />Create development and action plans to strategize and implement changes<br />Evaluate your outdoor environment, program, and practices <br /><br /><i>Cultivating Outdoor Classrooms</i> promotes the idea that if you can do it indoors, you can probably do it outside as well.<br /></p><p><b>Eric Nelson </b>is the founder and director of Child Care Planning Associates, the consulting and training division of the Child Educational Center, Caltech/JPL Community, which he established with his wife in 1979. Eric's consulting specialties include building and playground design and renovation, child care needs assessment and feasibility studies, development of employer-related child care, and staff training and development. Eric’s understanding of the value of the outdoors is grounded in a lifetime of hiking his beloved Sierra Nevada Mountains in California since he was a young child.</p><br />