Spring has been slow to pop up in Minnesota this year. We had a few days that felt like summer and a lot of late winter weather. With snow in the forecast again for today, I'm dreaming of the day when we can finally get back outside, wander in the gardens, and in our natural playscape. As I'm dreaming I'm thinking of three things I want to add to our Montessori outdoor spaces this year.
One thing I think is important to remember when it comes to outdoor spaces is that change is often slow. Inside it's sometimes much easier to prepare your space all at once to make it accessible to your child. Outside it takes longer, changes can be expensive, and weather dependent. I try to think less about adding things that are specific to my child's interests now, and more about changes that will last for the long term.
Three Features to Consider for Your Montessori Outdoor Space
This year, I want to focus on three different areas as I prepare my space for my five kids. I don't know exactly what we will do or how we will do it yet, but just generally. One of my favorite parts of working in Montessori spaces is how creative we get to be with creating order and accessibility for our kids. Here are three areas to consider this spring and summer:
Add a Vertical Play Surface to Your Montessori Space
Large scale vertical play is so important for kids! It helps them cross the midline and make connections in their brains. Some ways to add vertical play to outdoor spaces:
Include a Water Source
There's nothing like adding water to make kids calmer, happier, and more playful! We haven't had a great water source for our kids for a couple of years so I would like to work to make something more accessible to them this year. Some options include:
- Rain Barrel
- Water Pump/Sprayer Bottle
- Water Faucet
Make Space for Cozy Kid Seating
I want to help my kids see that they don't need to just be "doing" outside, but that outside can also be a place of rest and relaxation. So I want to add some cozy areas to sit this summer outdoors for the kids. Our children's chairs are very old and none are made for elementary aged kids. So I need to get more intentional about adding some spots to sit (and possibly to read) for everyone.
There are so many options when it comes to Montessori outside spaces for summer. How are you preparing your outdoor spaces for accessible, independent, child led play?
