Outdoor activities give students a fresh breath of air and thus, helps them explore their creativity deeply. It’s a known fact that mere classroom learning restricts a child’s ability to think critically on a topic they’re learning about. When students see new surroundings, they get new perspectives on the world or environment around them. This sparks their curiosity and hence, invokes their creativity to find answers to challenging questions.
Also, an increased flow of oxygen into the brain when engaging in outdoor learning helps students think better. This is due to the open skies, lush green spaces and more. In such instances, students bubble up with energy. Afterall, there’s no energy that can positively affect human activities better than nature.
What positive outdoor learning activities should students engage in?
- Experiment with science: Students come in direct touch with nature when they conduct experiments outside the classroom. It could be as simple as researching and studying photosynthesis.
- Nature scavenger hunt: Students have to walk around nature, observe and note down their observations or discoveries. Give them a list of flora, fauna and landmarks to explore and thus, promote teamwork, research and critical thinking skills.
- Read in the outdoors: It can create excitement in students when they take a break from the usual classroom and read a variety of books breathing fresh air. It helps students develop good reading habits in the long run and inspires them to think out of the box.
- Story writing: Writing stories by observing and interacting with nature is a very creative way to develop students’ vocabulary, writing skills, bond with nature, develop self confidence and more. The fresh air in nature also helps pump up their creativity.
- Gardening: Growing a flower or fruit or vegetable garden is no simple task. It requires students to look around, ask questions, and observe nature. It actively engages their creativity.
Other outdoor learning activities
- Historic site visits: Places such as natural history museums, historical sites, landmarks, ruins, etc., helps students become curious about history. Also, it fosters appreciation and the need for preserving history.
- Environmental cleanliness: Cleaning up places such as beaches, parks, ancient sites, etc., helps students imbibe the sense of cleanliness and think creatively about working towards innovative solutions to keep the environment clean.
- Sound mapping: Students can be taught to observe and recognise the different sounds in nature ranging from animals to birds, trees, streams and more. This can be done in a quiet environment and helps students use this experience to apply it creatively in studies or other activities.
- Journaling: Journals help students connect deeply and creatively with nature by jotting down thoughts and experiences and then linking the dots.
- Engineer with nature: Materials such as leaves, twigs, barks and others could find use in building small craft items or even trying a hand at simple engineering. Thus, students can collaborate to explore the full extent of their creativity.
The above 10 activities can play a significant role in inspiring the creative potential in students. But students need engagement in a very natural way without any artificial pressure.
Skill Stork is the leading international school in Warangal. Our holistic learning approach identifies creativity as a key component. If you’ve been searching for Warangal’s best international school, you’ve arrived.