Pumpkin Patch Field Trip - Outdoor Experiential Learning at Sanderling

Fun, hands-on outdoor learning experiences provide young children with many multi-disciplinary and developmental benefits that strengthen their minds, bodies, and souls.  For example, when our 3rd grade class recently visited a pumpkin patch. They learned from a real farmer how pumpkins grow, and how harvesting and distribution work (science and real world processes). They also weighed the pumpkins (math), and brought them back to school to carve (motor skills and creativity). This experience also fostered critical social skills and an enhanced sense of community among the children, the teachers, and the parent-volunteers.  In Waldorf education, teachers provide fun and enriching experiences like these on a daily basis so that children are more likely to engage, experiment, collaborate, and learn.  Our teachers know the benefits that children experience outside in nature. In fact, Sanderling Waldorf students spend much of their time outdoors, running, climbing, digging, watering plants, observing butterflies, insects and birds, feeding chickens and collecting their eggs, creating and building structures or whatever else their minds can conjure up.  This allows children to experience the value of trial and error, and gives them time to wonder and to reflect so they can make important connections in the broader world. Our students also benefit from our gardening and games & movement programs. With this much outdoor engagement, it’s no wonder our students are so eager to return to Sanderling Waldorf school each and every day!