Augmenting Learning Through Play During Kindergarten Recess
Source/Author: Rachel Barrett, Director of Marketing and Communications
March 03, 2017
From partner reading, in-depth investigations, and service projects, to building block cities, coding with BeeBots and visiting guest experts, kindergarten at Shorecrest is packed with active learning. Thoughtfully built into the full kindergarten schedule is time outdoors for free play with good, old-fashioned recess.
Kindergarten students have a dedicated half hour of recess daily. The time outdoors is a deliberate part of the kindergarten experience, based on the latest research on what’s best for developing young minds. Research has shown that recess aids in concentration, academic performance, and regulating behavior. Further, free play allows children to develop and practice social skills like cooperation and problem solving, as well as to boost creativity through imaginative play.
According to kindergarten teacher Joanne Minke, “In an effort to enrich the recess experience, we’ve have incorporated a variety of materials to play with daily. Musical instruments inspire several to sing, march, and practice keeping a steady beat. Fun with the parachute includes foam balls in a pretend game of popcorn. The hop balls make for a silly race, and the trikes and scooters are a daily favorite.”
It is a joy to see the Kindergarten children employ their creativity using these materials in ways that they devise entirely by themselves.
Besides the dedicated time for unstructured play, Lower Schoolers spend a large portion of their time in active structured play and outdoor activities.
Four days a week the little Lower Schoolers head off to PE where they learn healthy habits, sportsmanship, practice gross motor skills and unleash energy.
Even when working on classroom activities or choice-based centers, kindergarten students have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of being outdoors. Just beyond the doors of the kindergarten building lies the kindergarten outdoor classroom, which students use at least once a week.
Incorporating nature into the curriculum traces back to Shorecrest’s founding in 1923 as the Shorecrest Outdoor School. The school currently has countless places to eat, play and work outside, including the Experiential School’s Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom, which recently received national recognition for its official certification.
