Montessori Monday – Montessori-Inspired Outdoor Environment

I love the movement to get kids outdoors. There’s been a lot of talk about getting kids outdoors since the publication in 2005 of Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. Richard Louv wrote about nature-deficit disorder where children are becoming increasingly disconnected from the natural world, resulting in attention difficulties and other problems. 

Maria Montessori’s Views on Children and Nature

“There must be provision for the child to have contact with nature; to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony and the beauty in nature.” Maria Montessori

“It is also necessary for his psychical development to place the soul of the child in contact with creation, in order that he may lay up for himself treasure from the directly educating forces of living nature.” Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori would agree with the movement to get kids outdoors. She placed a great emphasis on nature and nature education. Dr. Montessori also felt that the outdoor environment should be an extension of the classroom.

Resources on Natural Montessori Outdoor Environments

Montessori Print Shop has a helpful post on Natural Montessori Playgrounds with links to many resources and a Montessori Outdoor Environments Pinterest board.

Rockingham Montessori School has a free download of Montessori Insights Magazine with a number of articles related to “The Child and Nature.”

Natural Learning Initiative has Montessori Schools and the Designed Environment (academic papers) and Montessori Schools and the Designed Environment (impressive designs).

Montessori on a Budget has a post with many suggestions for Creating a Montessori Garden Classroom.

Montessori-Inspired Outdoor Ideas for Home or School

While every school or homeschool can’t afford to hire a landscape architect to design a beautiful outdoor Montessori environment, there are a number of inexpensive changes you can make to your home or school outdoor environment. Work can often easily be brought outside – a wonderful idea this time of year, and more emphasis can be placed on activities like gardening and simply spending time in nature.

Will (9) and Christina (4) exploring the Black Hills near our house, 1994.

We were lucky to live in the country or where nature was nearby to make nature an important part of our homeschool: Exploring Nature and Growing Plants Outdoors without a Garden.

Christina (2) and Will (7) reading outdoors, 1992.

My kids also loved to read and do schoolwork outdoors.

Your child could work on activities for control of movement outdoors, such as Walking on the Line.

Outdoor Numbers and Counters

You could try an activity like Montessori Outdoors – Numbers and Counters.

Numbers and Counters at the Beach

When you go to the beach, you could have activities like Montessori at the Beach: Numbers and Counters or Land and Water Forms at the Beach.

O is for Octopus Sand Tray

J is for Jellyfish Activity

Subtract the Fish Tray

You could bring Montessori-inspired activities outdoors, such as Montessori-Inspired Beach Language Activities or Montessori-Inspired Ocean Math Activities.

Michael Olaf has ideas for slowing down to enjoy nature as well as bringing “intellectual” activities outdoors in Montessori from Birth to Three – A Superior Environment.

Outdoor Work Station (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)

Discovery Days and Montessori Moments has some great examples of working outdoors: working outside, washing clothes outside, sorting animals outside, and outside prepared environment (photo).

The Secret Garden has lots of ideas for taking learning outdoors. The blog’s tagline is “My thoughts, planning and activities for our Secret Garden. A freeflow, Montessori outdoor environment for 4 – 6 year olds.”

The Education of Ours has a post showing that providing natural items outdoors is what’s most important in an outdoor environment: Montessori, Taken Outside.

Outdoor Classroom Pinterest Board

Outdoor Classroom Pinterest Board

I have an Outdoor Classroom Pinterest board with all types of outdoor classrooms and learning activities.

Do you have favorite activities or environments to help your child and/or students get outdoors?

Montessori Monday Link-Up

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