BECAUSE CHILDREN LOVE BEING OUTDOORS, WHY NOT SPEND MORE TIME OUTSIDE DOING ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE ACADEMIC LEARNING?
These 4 yr olds love to make outdoor signs for their environment!
Photo by Carolyn at Magical Movement Company
When I was completing my Montessori re-certification with AMS in 2005, I chose the topic of Outdoor Classroom for my Synthesis Project. Before I knew it, I had so many activities for my group of Montessori children that I often longed to spend the entire morning outdoors so that every child could record their birdwatching, scrub clay pots, wash windows, rake leaves, dig in the garden, feed & water the worms in the worm composter, check the levels in the rain gauge ...the list goes on and on! (You can read more Outdoor Classroom posts by clicking OUTDOORS on this blog's header.)
However, one of the most requested activities in our Montessori Outdoor Classroom was SIGN MAKING! This fun activity was asked for over and over again! There were signs for toy bins ("balls, shovels, boats, buckets..."), and signs for little chores ("the bridge has to be swept") and many signs that were messages to the creatures who live in the outdoor environment ("No cats allowed" and "Squirrel feeder"...)
However, one of the most requested activities in our Montessori Outdoor Classroom was SIGN MAKING! This fun activity was asked for over and over again! There were signs for toy bins ("balls, shovels, boats, buckets..."), and signs for little chores ("the bridge has to be swept") and many signs that were messages to the creatures who live in the outdoor environment ("No cats allowed" and "Squirrel feeder"...)
Photo by Carolyn at Magical Movement Company
I had some 12in x 6in plastic "signs" made (Tap Plastics company in my area) with holes drilled so the signs could be attached to fences... The children would use non-permanent markers to write (or draw) their messages on the signs. Then, they would thread pipe cleaners through the holes so that the signs could be hung in the appropriate areas of the outdoor environment.
Photo by Carolyn at Magical Movement Company
Photo by Carolyn at Magical Movement Company
The sign above read: "Squirrel Feeder", but got worn by sun and rain...which is fine! Weather is weather and when it wears away the lettering, then its time to write a new message!
Photo by Carolyn at Magical Movement Company
Lots of fine motor skills developing with this part of the process of threading the pipe cleaners through the holes and then twisting them tight!
Photo by Carolyn at Magical Movement Company
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