A growing body of research about the importance of young children spending time outside is encouraging early learning professionals to carefully consider outdoor curriculum. Not only do children love being outside, but they also benefit developmentally from opportunities for sensory learning to move their bodies and strengthen their muscles.
Time spent outside should offer rich learning experiences that complement academics children study indoors. To help create these experiences, we share two excellent books that explore the benefits of outdoor learning and help guide educators to move more of their curriculum outdoors.
Written by Juliet Robertson, a teacher and education consultant who specializes in outdoor learning and play, Dirty Teaching shares benefits and tools for early learning professionals to revamp their outdoor curriculum. If you are looking for inspiration to deepen children’s learning outside, this book will offer tips, tricks, and ideas to get started. The book’s recommendations are approachable and easy-to-execute so that educators can fit into them into the classroom in a way that works for their children and community.
If you are interested in better understanding why outdoor curriculum is so beneficial, this is the book for you. Written by environmental educator, David Sobel, with contributions from a diverse team of early learning experts, this book explores what an outdoor classroom looks like, how to get started in opening an outdoor center of your own, and best practices for managing an outdoor classroom. This book will be especially beneficial to new educators who are looking to find their teaching style or open a new center, but will also support more experienced teachers who are looking to revamp their curriculum with fresh ideas and perspectives.
