From recess and summer camps to Outward Bound programs, incorporating the outdoors in education has become ubiquitous in practice since the modern forest school movement began in the 1950s. The impetus behind taking education outside was a simple response to a recurring observation: children thrive when given the opportunity to meaningfully engage with natural environments.
But decades before forest schools gained international acclaim, Dr. Maria Montessori came to a similar conclusion when developing her groundbreaking method of early childhood education. Throughout her writings and teachings, Dr. Montessori asserted that children learn best when given the agency to freely explore their world, and that natural environments have endless potential for stimulating the senses, engaging curiosity, and encouraging self-discovery. Grounded in this deep appreciation for the educational possibilities found in nature, Montessori schools position the outdoor environment not as an ancillary enrichment but as a vital extension of the classroom.
At Washington Montessori School, time outdoors is a routine part of every child’s school day. Children are given ample free time to play outside, regularly participate in outdoor physical education activities, and enjoy immersive lessons in the woods, trails, and outdoor classroom spaces nestled throughout our 48-acre campus. Children as young as 18-months spend time tending to garden beds and taking nature walks, while our oldest learners in the WMS Middle School routinely spearhead sustainability initiatives that take them outside — such as implementing a school-wide composting program and replacing invasive species with native pollinator plants.
But in this post, we’re going to focus on the Lower School Nature Program, a new offering designed to provide young learners aged 3-6 with a weekly opportunity to learn and grow outdoors.
Let the children be free; encourage them; let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and, when the grass of the meadows is damp with dew, let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet; let them rest peacefully when a tree invites them to sleep beneath it's shade; let them shout and laugh when the sun wakes them in the morning as it wakes every living creature that divides its day between waking and sleeping.
A program rooted in experiential learning
The Lower School Nature Program transforms campus trails, woods, and streams into dynamic learning environments rich with new experiences. There are four primary goals of the program, the pursuit of which is woven into the daily curriculum:
- Child-directed play — Children refine critical developmental skills like independence, self-discipline, and intrinsic motivation when given the opportunity to freely explore their world.
- Community and friendship — In addition to encouraging individual activity, the Lower School Nature Program provides opportunities for children to work together. Collaborative activities instill the children with an early appreciation for community responsibility, and help nurture nascent social-emotional skills.
- Exploration, curiosity, and new experiences — Teachers encourage an “I can do it myself” and “I can try again” attitude as children encounter new experiences and test their limits and skills. Reasonable risk-taking is a part of the learning process, helping build physical strength, coordination of movement, self-confidence, and resilience.
- Nervous system regulation — Time spent outdoors in nature soothes the nervous system and allows the brain’s executive functioning systems to rest and reset. As a result, children often demonstrate stronger concentration, decreased impulsivity, and greater emotional flexibility.
The Lower School Nature Program’s curriculum is structured and carefully planned, but also designed to be flexible and responsive to both the elements and the individual interests of the children — a guiding principle Montessori schools call “follow the child.” However, as much as children enjoy the freedom this program allows, they also benefit from knowing what to expect, therefore each afternoon follows a familiar routine — a structure Montessorians often rely on and refer to as “freedom within limits.”
The Lower School Nature Program begins with an opening meeting in the Outdoor Science Classroom, where the children from the three Lower School classes gather, greet one another, and learn about any relevant happenings in nature. Following this meeting, each child is invited to take a quiet moment to visit a tree that is special to them and observe any environmental changes. After this meditative interlude, the children reconvene for optional instructor-led activities that combine education and exploration. Some activities are skills-based and teacher-directed (such as plant, bird, and leaf identification lessons, or slack lining), and some start with inspiration from a teacher and then follow the children’s interests (such as a hike to a vernal pool to check out frog eggs that turns into building forts). The children are also given time for free play that is supervised but unstructured. The program ends with a closing circle to discuss the day’s adventure.
Growing confident, connected learners
There is no description, no image in any book that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees, and all the life to be found around them, in a real forest. Something emanates from those trees which speaks to the soul, something no book, no museum is capable of giving.
In addition to the many cognitive, physical, and social benefits of spending time outside, the Lower School Nature Program gives our young learners a lasting appreciation for the natural world. The moments they spend balancing on logs, observing insects, following animal tracks, or quietly observing the changes to their favorite tree are impressionable and deeply meaningful. Through these hands-on interactions with nature, the children come to understand their place in the world, and the responsibility they have to protect and care for their fellow creatures, great and small.
If you are interested in learning more about the philosophy, structure, and benefits of the Lower School Nature Program, we encourage you to check out the full Program Guide here.
