As the school year moves forward, most learning still happens inside traditional classrooms. But in some Lansing neighborhoods, that’s beginning to change.
- Lansing Head Start opened a new outdoor learning classroom to give students hands-on, sensory-rich educational experiences beyond traditional indoor settings.
- The space encourages exploration and play-based learning, integrating nature into daily lessons through features like water elements and temperature-based activities.
- Teachers and administrators say outdoor classrooms support exploratory learning and provide a valuable balance to screen time and indoor instruction.
- Rain or shine, the space will be used year-round as part of a growing trend in local school districts to make education more engaging through outdoor environments.
WATCH: Where nature meets the classroom: Lansing students take learning outside
Where nature meets the classroom: Lansing students take learning outside
More schools are turning to outdoor learning spaces, classrooms without walls, to give students a new way to engage with their education. One of the latest examples? A brand-new outdoor learning environment at the Capital Area Community Services Head Start.
While it may look like playtime, teachers say it’s so much more.
“Even though it looks like they’re playing, they’re definitely learning,” Julie Davis explained.
Students at this Head Start location already follow a well-rounded daily schedule that includes large group time, small group activities and independent play…