The importance of exposing students to the world around us

Often we take all the nature and beauty around us for granted, rarely having the time to adequately appreciate it. For a developing mind, it is crucial to explore nature and learn about new places and things. It is natural for children to yearn for self-discovery and independence. Granting them the opportunity to experience the world around them, and what it has to offer, teaches them to explore and comprehend.

This term we learned about all kinds of reptiles and insects and their habitats.

Inting: The Reptile man paid us a special visit at school. My class’s enthusiasm and bravery to touch and hold snakes, lizards, geckos and tortoises, to name only a few, amazed me. One of the most important things they learned was to have respect for other living things.

Outing: Butterfly World was a most enjoyable and informative experience for all the students. They especially enjoyed the bus drive, even though most of them fell asleep on their journey back to school.

Here are nine benefits of encouraging your child to attend outings:

• Outings give students an educational experience away from their regular school environment.
• They learn in a more hands–on and interactive approach than they do in the average classroom.
• The students investigate the insects, animals, reptiles and plant life up close; they can touch and interact.
• This gives children a welcome break from their normal routine, breathing new excitement into lessons.
• Learning in assorted ways can appeal to varied learning styles helping students to succeed whether they are visual or auditory learners.
• Perhaps one of the most important values of exposing the students to this is the personal development that one can experience. When challenged, an individual can experience a sense of accomplishment, self-value and confidence.
• By introducing these important experiences, a child is more willing to try new things, creating a more versatile learner.
• This can help children to develop the enjoyment of life-long learning, confidence and independence as well as respect for humankind and all creatures.
• Outings are so important for their emotional, social and intellectual growth.

Through those interactions, children will not only gain a new appreciation for what nature has to offer, but also learn about themselves. They will establish real connections with others and the world around them.

The next time you are outdoors with you little one, remember to stop and smell the roses and if you are lucky, you might find a ladybug or two…

Cindy Nunan
Pre-Reception Teacher