Outdoor classes for pre-schoolers

More such centres go beyond books and let children learn from play
Leow Si Wan Straits Times 5 Jul 10;

OUTDOOR learning is fast catching on in pre-schools here.

Several of these schools - catering to children between 18 months and six years old - told The Straits Times they are increasingly looking at how children can acquire knowledge and skills through innovative play outside the classroom.

Just last month, at the annual Ministry of Education Kindergarten Conference, Senior Minister of State for Education Grace Fu urged teachers to 'bring the wonders of the outdoors back to your children and inspire them to go out and learn'.

The conference's theme centred on how educators can go beyond the classroom to enrich children's development.

And schools are heeding the call.

At Singapore's largest childcare chain NTUC First Campus, for instance, children go on walks around their neighbourhood to identify key landmarks such as the supermarket or library. They expand their vocabulary and build on their observation skills by finding out, for example, where to buy items from the various shops in their neighbourhood.

Then it is time for them to head back to the classrooms where they come up with maps showing what they have seen and learnt about the area.

At St James Church Kindergarten in Harding Road, pupils plant and water their own seeds in a vegetable garden so they can observe and record the growth of the plants.

Principals interviewed said there has been growing awareness about the benefits of outdoor learning over the past two to three years.

Mrs Janette Chong, one of the directors at Aces Montessori Kidz Kindergarten, said: 'Childcare providers and parents have realised that children learn very naturally and best when playing.'

The school, in Pasir Ris, plans to increase structured play time from two half-hour sessions a week to at least four sessions weekly.

'We want to make play more purposeful,' said Mrs Chong. 'For example, rather than children learning about dinosaur eggs through books, teachers will make eggs using different materials and hide them in the garden so children can find them.'

In this way, she added, children can also pick up social and motor skills.

Said Living Sanctuary Kindergarten principal Elsie Tan-Chua: 'The outdoor environment is a very rich teaching resource. When immersed in nature, children are more observant, ask better questions and show stronger interest.'

Despite the benefits of outdoor learning, industry professionals such as kindergarten operator PAP Community Foundation said there are constraints in terms of space and the kind of outdoor environments to take the children.

It said: 'The safety of our children is of utmost concern to us. We are currently still reviewing our curriculum to explore ways of improving active learning through playing.'

Mrs Tan-Chua said: 'We have a smaller space, so we have to think out of the box and see what can best be done in our concrete jungle.'

Educators also said they face the challenge of completing the curriculum.

Parents welcome such moves by pre-schools to give children more opportunities to learn in an outdoor environment.

Said housewife Betsy Wang, 42, whose five-year-old son attends Bethesda Kindergarten: 'The teachers are taking the kids to the park and beaches to learn about scientific concepts like how waves are formed in the sea.

'It is different from me taking them out because the teachers are specially trained to highlight certain ideas or things the children should learn.'

LEARNING FROM NATURE

'The outdoor environment is a very rich teaching resource. When immersed in nature, children are more observant, ask better questions and show stronger interest.'

Living Sanctuary Kindergarten principal Elsie Tan-Chua