It is important that children learn how to respect the environment from a young age. The more time children spend in nature and the more they learn about it, the more likely they are to respect it in their adult years. Therefore, preschools play an important role in teaching young children about nature and the environment. Children who experience nature and are free to explore natural environments, are able to relate to nature, and therefore respect it. Teaching children to not leave litter on the ground, damage plants and to replace insects in the area they were found, helps build the foundation for preserving and respecting nature now and in the future.
Learning through outdoor play and activities during the preschool years should be based on the joy and wonder of discovery. Even very young children can learn vital skills in an outdoor environment. Activities that are usually confined to indoor areas often provide more learning opportunities when done in the outdoors. The outdoors also provides children with a more stimulating environment in which to learn. The natural materials found in a natural environment are tools that develop children´s skills. Sand, grass, mud and branches provide children with everything needed to create, build and play with. Outdoor learning provides children with hands-on experience that can often not be replicated in an indoor environment.
A young child exploring the textures of a large rock
Outdoor learning in the early years 