This week I wanted to research where cozy corners and outdoor education intersect. As an outdoor preschool teacher, most of my time was spent on de-escalation strategies with little ones. For instance, instead of telling children to go outside for a walk or to take body break at a resource room, I needed to handle the situation while using the space we had outdoors. This looked very different for everyone child depending on their needs and current safety measures.
As in outdoor preschool teacher at the Victoria Nature School (VNA), I was expected to learn alongside children, care for their wellbeing, and observe what they were interested in. This philosophy sees nature as the teacher and outdoors as the classroom.
How do they learn outdoors?
Many parents worry that their child will not have access to crucial learning that takes at traditional schools. Though this is a worry that often comes up when parents are choosing where to place their child, it is a myth. There is endless rich learning that can take place in an outdoor education centre. For instance, say a child is interested in math, we would collect sticks to further that learning and extend their comprehension. If you are interested in learning more about outdoor preschool, I urge you to watch this beautiful video that the Victoria Nature School created.
Self-Regulation and Nature Schools
Though there is not a direct cozy corner that is created inside a classroom, there are many opportunities to create “safe” places for children in nature. Some specific examples I used with students were:
- Created 4 morning check in boards for students to assess how they are feelings each morning
- Created the kitty corner, which was an enclosure made of sticks and ferns that were found on the ground.
- Taught meditation to the students, that they could use when they were feeling big feelings
- Ran down the big hill screaming like birds to get out any “sticky” feelings
- Read stories to children while they sat in my lap
- Used homemade stress balls and sat by the water with a child to take space.
Do They Intersect?
With that being said, I would argue that the space does not create the cozy corners! It is the resources, tools, and relational skills that allows student to find a calm place in any environment they live in. So.. yes, cozy corners and outdoor education do in fact intersect.
