{"id":1904,"date":"2017-04-27T04:48:27","date_gmt":"2017-04-27T04:48:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hfschool.net\/?page_id=1904"},"modified":"2025-05-09T10:36:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T00:36:14","slug":"outdoor-learning","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/outdoor-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning in the Outdoors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning in the Outdoors<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/h3>\n

The outdoor environment at Highfields is not just a place for lunch and morning tea times. Since its establishment, the school has offered the spaces outside the classrooms as a natural and rich extension to the indoor learning spaces. Our natural setting provides opportunities for children \u201cto learn in and with the natural world; inside the school, outside the classroom and into the wild beyond\u201d (Claire Warden, 2016).<\/p>\n

We are strong advocates for children getting their hands dirty in the outdoors, immersed in all nature offers and invites. Exploring patterns in nature, wondering at natural phenomena, making friends with a ladybird are all normal everyday experiences for our children.<\/p>\n

More than just a fun place to learn, regular time in nature has been shown to improve health and well-being as well as improve academic outcomes for children. As such, we see time outdoors as essential to our learning program at Highfields. Whether it be reading under a tree, finding treasure with a friend in the rock garden or making ochre paint in the dirt \u2013 outdoor learning is a part of daily life at Highfields.<\/p>\n

For further information about ways to engage your child with nature, you may find the following links helpful:<\/p>\n

Children and Nature Network<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

‘Nature Pedagogy Inside, Outside and Beyond” Article by Claire Warden<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Nature Can Improve Health and Wellbeing<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Our 4 year olds maps of the playground<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Learning in the Outdoors The outdoor environment at Highfields is not just a place for lunch and morning tea times. Since its establishment, the school has offered the spaces outside the classrooms as a natural and rich extension to the indoor learning spaces. Our natural setting provides opportunities for children \u201cto learn in and with the natural world; inside the school, outside the classroom and… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1904","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","clearfix"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P7EWEu-uI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":317,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/a-day-in-the-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":1904,"position":0},"title":"A Day In the Life…","author":"EGibbs","date":"29 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"A Day in the Life\u2026 K-2 children can arrive at school from 8:30am to enjoy time to connect with friends and teachers in the outdoors, prior to the formal start to the day at 8:50am. Breaks during the day include morning tea from 10:40 to 11:00am and lunch from 12:30\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/DSC_7701-1-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2009,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/create-explore-imagine\/","url_meta":{"origin":1904,"position":1},"title":"Create, Explore, Imagine","author":"EGibbs","date":"27 April 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Create, Explore, Imagine \u00a0 In the pursuit of supporting children to be happy, healthy and active contributors, educators promote children\u2019s learning and wellbeing in the Preschool by: providing a gentle transition for children from the home into a group setting at school. Our priority is to ensure that each child\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250403_220343845.PORTRAIT-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":125,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/co-curricular\/","url_meta":{"origin":1904,"position":2},"title":"Learning in Focus","author":"EGibbs","date":"23 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Learning in Focus Schools and preschools differ greatly in their approaches to teaching and learning. How schools design learning programs for children is shaped powerfully by beliefs about how children learn and in what contexts learning is likely to flourish. 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Great consideration is giving to acoustics, layout, furnishings\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/our-garden-setting\/","url_meta":{"origin":1904,"position":4},"title":"Our Setting","author":"EGibbs","date":"22 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Our Setting Highfields School is located in Lindfield on Sydney's North Shore. We are positioned in a garden setting surrounded by mature trees and a flourishing natural environment which provides boundless possibilities for exploration and creativity. Our indoor learning spaces are designed with the specific age group in mind and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hfschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/photo-1-e1493117634321-768x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":44,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/the-highfields-experience\/","url_meta":{"origin":1904,"position":5},"title":"The Highfields’ Experience","author":"EGibbs","date":"22 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Highfields' Experience Every aspect of our curriculum is developed and refined to reflect the real needs and interests of our students and first hand experiences are embedded in classroom activities to intrigue, engage and support constructive learning. 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