The educational process is not only limited to what is taught in the classroom; education in a non-traditional way is also essential to fix the child’s knowledge and learn through research. As parents and guardians of children, we must guarantee them quality education and instill values such as empathy, respect, equality, and solidarity, in addition to the right to fun and recreation.
Playgrounds are an excellent option to use as a non-traditional educational medium. More specifically, in the case of natural playgrounds, they can achieve an additional link with the environment and its care. This article will explain some of the educational values that can develop in a natural playground.
Conduct with the environment
We have only one planet to live on. From an early age, we must learn to take care of it, which is why it is essential to instill positive actions concerning the environment in children, use natural resources responsibly, and maintain and protect the environment and living beings. This helps to create awareness in children that changes are produced towards a more just, sustainable, and equitable society based on respectful coexistence with the environment through environmental education.
Knowledge of the environment
The natural playground is made with materials that allow children to be closer to the environment and learn about the different colors, smells, textures, and others, which help to awaken the sense of investigation of infants; that need to discover the reason and the origin of things, which leads to a desire to know the environment: plants, animals, minerals, and others, so with the right guide, it is an excellent means to strengthen the knowledge taught in the classroom.
Empathy and co-responsibility
In the natural playground, you can live moments that children will treasure forever; these memories of happiness will take root with a feeling of identification with nature. This goes hand in hand with being individually and collectively aware of the damage that humans can do to different ecosystems. The children can make small contributions, such as keeping play spaces and their surroundings clean and using garbage baskets correctly, among other habits that will make a difference in the long term.
Collective learning
Collective awareness is essential to preserve the environment in the long term so that future generations can enjoy the planet in the same way. Natural playgrounds are an excellent place to learn about it and discover new aspects of the environment, ways to take care of the environment, recycling, and more, all this while playing and working as a group for a common goal.
Coherence
A fundamental point and a significant value is coherence and learning by example. Many adults talk about caring for the environment and the relevance of recycling. Still, they leave the garbage in inappropriate places or do not care about wasting water, so their words and actions are not consistent. When children see parents leaving the playground clean, disposing of garbage properly, and using resources efficiently, they emulate those behaviors and encourage appropriate behavior, respecting the environment and their community by leaving playgrounds suitable for everyone.
What do you think about this topic? What other educational values do you think can be developed in a natural playground?
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