“If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impression of the senses are fertile soil in which the seeds must grow.” International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, Volume 2, Number 1 Winter 2014
Is there anything more beautiful than the beautifully changing leaves on a crisp, autumn day? As October has felt more like summer to this point, we’ve needed to be a little creative in the “crispness” department, but we’ve loved frolicking through the woods just the same. One of the huge draws for having GFT at St. Thomas’ is their beautiful grounds. Notre Dame Prep is just through the woods, so we take advantage of their cross country and nature trails regularly.
We have shared our belief in free and outdoor play being paramount for developing minds. I also stumbled across this excerpt today while doing a little motivational research of my own to get up and get moving: Walking through a forest or green area with trees has been found to aid memory and learning. Forest kindergartens have become popular in Germany where there are approximately 450 while in the US and the UK, the idea is slowly taking off. Research indicates that children playing in these forest environments are better at many cognitive skills but also have better manual dexterity and can assess risks better than those kids educated in an enclosed space. The great thing about this outdoor education, even if it is just a day out, is that children learn about the importance of forests, their maintenance and how they help the planet.
This is just one more way we’re putting the “Global” in GFT. Care to join us?
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