.5 CEU

The Outdoor Classroom

It is no surprise to educators of young children that time spent outdoors is good for children. Outdoor play offers a wealth of benefits for children – fresh air, room to run and develop gross motor skills, and opportunities to engage with the natural world in wondrous and surprising ways. Yet, children are not spending as much time outdoors as they could. Compared to the 1970s, children now spend 50 percent less time in unstructured outdoor activities. And, “nearly half of preschoolers in a sample of four million U.S. children [do] not have even one parent-supervised outdoor play opportunity per day.”

As Americans in general are leading more sedentary lives, and the lure of screen technology grows ever present, we in the Early Childhood Education field are faced with a crisis. Children get less exercise, develop isolation from (and even fear of) nature, and a lack of engagement and connection to the natural world. As educators, we have the opportunity to create learning environments that take children back outdoors, creating spaces where children have the chance to learn in and from the world around them. This training will support educators in understanding the importance of an Outdoor Classroom, reviewing guidelines and best practices for outdoor learning, and designing a curriculum that utilizes the outdoors as a crucial piece of ECE curriculum.
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This training should take approximately 5 hours to complete. Upon enrollment , you will have 2 weeks to complete all course content and submit your evaluation. Once the training is successfully completed, a .5 CEU certificate will be issued.

100% of this training addresses the issues of "diverse learners"

Learning Outcomes

After completing this training, participants should be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of nature-based curriculum and outdoor play.
  • Review and understand guidelines from the ECE field for outdoor learning experiences.
  • Collect state and national resources for designing an outdoor curriculum and classroom space.
  • Design an outdoor learning lesson plan to include in curriculum and discuss additional ways to bring learning outdoors.

Course Outcome

By participating this training,  educators should increase their knowledge, understanding, and confidence in building outdoor learning and nature-based curriculum design, offering more opportunities for children in physical activity, exploration, and connections to the natural world.
The Institute for Education and Professional Development, Inc.
 The Institute for Education and Professional Development, Inc. was established in 2005 to provide professional development and consultation services to early childhood programs and educators. We work collaboratively with programs, educators, and agencies to improve the quality of education and care for young children and families.
     IEPD has master instructors who provide training, coaching and mentoring services. Each of the IEPD instructors receives training on adult learning principles, training design and delivery, and evaluation. All of the IEPD instructors have worked in the field of early childhood education, bringing their own experiences and "lessons learned" to the training.
     Our trainings are fun, engaging, and are filled with important information and resources. We want to work with you, hear your stories, successes and challenges, and provide assistance to help you in your work.
Patrick Jones - Course author
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