The BBC recently highlighted the benefits noted among children in Devon who have lessons at the beach.
Children of primary school age are taken out of the classroom and to the seaside for hands-on learning thanks to Beach Schools South West, which travels the county to deliver sessions to local youngsters.
Ali Murray, beach schools team leader, told the news provider that “you can teach any subject at the beach”. Among the areas they tackle are ocean pollution, sea safety, shelter building and the environment.
Of course, you don’t need a beach to get children to learn about these and other subject areas out of the classroom – arranging outdoor activities in the Peak District for school classes can be equally as beneficial.
In fact, the concept of the beach school originated after the benefits of forest schools became widely known.
Both options are about offering children outdoor learning experiences, which, the news provider notes, can introduce youngsters to subjects in a new and engaging way, not to mention ensure that they have an active day of learning from time to time.
Children who attend these outdoor sessions are engaged with what they’re learning and they can even have a positive impact on the children’s interactions and friendships.
These benefits can spread beyond the time children are actually outdoors too, with a recent US study finding that outdoor lessons can boost concentration once they return to the classroom as well.
The project in Devon is just one example of how getting children outside and away from more traditional learning environments can benefit them in many ways, not just in terms of what they learn but also in relation to their problem solving and team building skills.
