By Chrissie Rausch
Outdoor education in the colder months comes with its own issues. Educators just like everyone else are tempted to stay inside on cold grey days but the outside is constantly calling our names. As the weather changes and winter starts, flowers go to seed, water ways freeze over and many of the animals start to follow their winter rhythms. We adjust our teaching styles to accommodate these changes but new and exciting questions arise such as, “What do the animal eat? Where do they sleep? How do they stay warm? Where do they go.”
The students are challenged to observe things that wouldn’t be visible in other seasons like birds and squirrel nests or brightly colored birds like Cardinals and various species of ducks. Once the students have adapted to the cold weather they seem to love it. They learn new ways to enjoy and stay safe outside in the colder weather. We’ve noticed that staying inside doesn’t allow out students to explore or use as much of their energy. Spending time outside in less than perfect weather is an exemplary way for children to develop empathy for other living things. Abstract concepts like cold weather adaptations come to life when children are removed from their comfort zone. Once they embrace cold weather exploration there’s no turning back. Nature, no matter the weather, is a powerful educator.
One student explained to me today that when it’s cold outside he goes, “from one building to another and I never look around. Animals don’t have that choice they have to survive anyway they can.” He further explained that he is going to rake his leaves into a big pile and leave the pile for animals to shelter under. Just spending a little time outside helped this student connect that his actions have consequences with the natural world. This is why no matter what the weather brings we head outside and explore.