Tapping the Power of Outdoor Learning
By Lynne Sorkin, AIA, LEED AP
Principal
FGM Architects
There is growing awareness of the potential benefits of outdoor learning, which has acquired a new urgency as schools reopen in the COVID-19 pandemic’s aftermath. Whether your facility is located within a multi-acre natural setting or a compact urban site, carefully planned outdoor spaces can support curriculum goals, increase students’ outdoor time and extend community use beyond normal school hours.
While manufactured playground equipment and traditional athletic fields support recess, physical education and competitive sports, other kinds of amenities offer equally important learning and developmental benefits. A strategically selected mix of organic, challenging and creative outdoor learning elements can foster awareness and empathy for the environment, promote healthy habits and encourage socialization and cooperation.