Anyone who has spent a little time at HMS, or with Khuloud, Rick or any of our teachers, understands of our love of the outdoors. This is not just about our camping trips. Entering school is not even possible without passing through the playground. On normal schooldays, we spend about 3 hours outside. We start and end our day outside, and whenever possible we eat lunch outside. Of course, much of the indoor time is focused on academics, developing their sense of order in the world with the aim of improving their academic self and self-confidence. But we can’t help but also notice and enjoy the extent to which children enjoy and grow outside of the classroom–on the playground.
Last month brought another layer to having our lovely playground. Much as back in 2020, having a quality outdoor space was instrumental in keeping us healthy. With so many viruses and what-not going around town February, there were several days when we spent every.minute.possible outside breathing the fresh air, keeping germs from spreading.
On one level, any playground follows the notion that play is the work of the child. And, yes, the playground is intended as a place for imaginative play, whether alone or with friends. The playground encourages children to engage in imaginative and fantasy play, while also maintaining a natural space while allows children to be self-directed. There are few toys available, just some pots and pans, tires, tree cookies, scraps of wood and play animals with ample space to run, and run and run.
This is the most unstructured time that the children will have in their school-day. We see the children singing, playing chase, looking up at the trees, playing “school” or “train” or “car,” just talking with friends, digging in the dirt, looking for bugs, watching airplanes fly over and firetrucks scream by, and on and on and on. This is their time to imagine, to get dirty, to observe nature to socialize and to do it all on their own pace and terms.
Time spent on playground helps children build social skills. As the children freely interact, conflicts do arise, and they must learn how to compromise, and look after the well-being of each other.
We go outdoors in all types of weather–from hot to cold, wet and dry. And in every season, they are allowed to get dirty. Being in the outdoors allows children to experience natural sciences of all kinds, from the effects of gravity and meteorology to botany and zoology. Environmental consciousness can begin at an early age, at the same time as the children explore imagination and friendships, making all sorts of new discoveries along the way.
From the open backyard we began with in 2013, the shady space is a lovely combination of nature, typical playground and imaginative opportunities.