Language Learning Outdoors

It is essential to remember that young children develop language skills via their interactions with their trusted adults (not via a screen). Language development begins early in life as young children use their receptive language skills to understand what adults are saying to them.

Adults build nurturing relationships with the children in their care by being present and paying close attention to what they are trying to communicate. Through serve-and-return interactions, nurturing adults (consistently) respond to the child’s communication, which leads to the child growing their expressive language (speaking and signing).

Essential Elements of Communication:

Children understand communication with others.
Children respond to and use a growing vocabulary.
Children participate in conversations with their peers and adults. These conversations can take place in one-on-one interactions, small group interactions, and larger group interactions.
Children ask (LOTS!) of questions to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
Children speak audibly (so as to be heard) & express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
Children describe familiar people, places, things, and events.
Children use most grammatical constructions (string of words) of their native (home) language.

Language development is not something that should be restricted to the four walls of the classroom. Many young children find our indoor classroom environments overwhelming, but they shine in our outdoor settings.

Let’s take our language learning outside!