Thinking outside of the box Thursdays: How have your perspectives on outdoor play changed over time?
What have you noticed about your beliefs or perspectives about outdoor play over time?
One change I noticed when I began
working with children is that I became more comfortable with going outside in
the rain. As a child, I did not mind getting wet and muddy, but as I got older
I began to avoid the rain or use an umbrella. While working at a centre that goes
outside rain or shine (aside from lightning storms) I began to see the value in
rain again. With appropriate clothing, I could stay warm and dry, and I saw how
much joy and learning it provided for the children. I now enjoy jumping in puddles
with the children, looking for worms, and playing in the mud.
I was very much a child who was not excited to go out and play in the rain. Now, as an adult, I actually enjoy the feeling of rain and breath in a cleansing breath from the natural shower above. However, not for long, I have a curly hair! We try to still take the children outside with mild rain falling; however, we find many parents do not dress their children (or want to deal with wet outer clothes) for rain. Also, as soon as the children feel the smallest drop, they run for cover and ask to go inside. I wonder if this is because at home, they are kept from the 'bad' weather. I am a parent myself, and am guilty of not running outside at the start of a nice shower... I have begun to encourage my family to sit in the shelter outside in our backyard to listen and smell the rain during the Spring and Summer months. We have found much joy in this!
ReplyDeleteIt's great to hear that you have learned to enjoy rain over time! I'm currently in the process of learning to love winter weather again. I, like most children, loved playing in the snow, making forts, having snowball fights, and so on. As an adult, I noticed myself feeling more negatively about winter, having to deal with shoveling the driveway, driving in the snow, etc. For the last few years, I have been engaging in more outdoor activities in the winter and I feel more positively about winter now! I think it's very possible for the children who are not as keen on rain to learn to enjoy and be curious about it as well. Modeling is a powerful tool that you can use with the children!
DeleteAgreed! I think it is something that needs to be modeled more by us as educators (and parents [guilty!]).
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