Enriching Education: Outdoor Classrooms

Today's world is a challenging place for educators and school systems across the globe. On one hand, our kids need active, engaging in-person education to build a foundation for their learning experiences. On the other, the health and safety of staff and students are paramount.   

You may have heard numerous districts and boards across the country are coming together to discuss the possibility of utilizing outdoor spaces for teaching lessons and class sessions. This lets kids and teachers get the meaningful face-to-face connection they need for impactful learning and teaching, while safely social distancing and effectively preventing the spread of COVID-19. 

Outdoor classrooms aren't the only spaces that have super positive impacts on kids -  summer camps are another place where children's emotional, social and mental wellbeing thrive and flourish. In a recent five-year impact study by the American Camp Association, researchers found a number of benefits that summer camp environments have on kids' intellectual and social-emotional development. Just a couple of those include: nurturing friendship & human connection, building confidence and self esteem while improving problem-solving skills, and promoting independence while developing an affinity for nature. It's been a tough year for Summer Camps navigating the COVID 19 crisis with over 19.5 million youth missing out on day or overnight camp experiences in 2020, but the ACA is working hard to provide kids wholesome outdoor experiences they deserve by supporting camps able to open this year with their Camp Operations Guidelines. Because of these measures, camps have seen very few COVID cases and as camp progresses, camper anxieties and insecurities melt away.  Kids are active, reconnecting socially and emotionally with each other, and allowed to be just kids! The psycho-social benefits of in-person meetings shows us just how important camp is to today's youth.

Learn more in this interview:

Why is it important to have an outdoor chair for outdoor learning situations?
Simply put, it offers maximum comfort for extended periods of time with the back support as well as cushion from the ground. While a soft bed of grass feels nice, it may not always be an option, and lacks back support meaning kids are more likely to want to lay down or get distracted. Picnic benches and tables are a great alternative to concrete, however during these times, we encourage a socially distant space between students that these wooden structures complicate. The padded back and bottom support of Crazy Creek chairs lets kids sit comfortably upright, therefore minimizing distractions by discomfort.


What sets Crazy Creek's products away from other portable chairs?
In the late 80s the first Crazy Creek chair was engineered by an Outward Bound instructor who was tired of nothing on the market offering comfortable, lightweight outdoors seating. Over time the prototype - what is now known as their “Original Chair” - flew off the shelves as more and more items were added to the lineup.

The clamshell design of Crazy Creek chairs utilizes lightweight materials and is able to fold and roll up tightly, making it ideal for minimalist packers and campers. While portable chairs that use aluminum frames and legs may seem more ideal and comfortable, they’re much more expensive and much harder to store, especially for a school setting. Crazy Creek chairs pack flat and can be efficiently stored even in the tightest of spaces. Best of all, they're super budget friendly for districts/boards with tight budget. On top of that, we offer customizable logos and designs students can comfortably and stylishly represent where they learn!

Why is outdoor time so good for kids?
The great outdoors have a number of positive developmental benefits for children. Outdoor learning specifically has shown to support behavioral, intellectual and emotional development. Studies done also show that it helps develop crucial skills like: independence, confidence, creativity, problem solving and decision making skills, empathy towards others, motor skills and self discipline.

Access to nature has also shown to decrease symptoms of ADHD, as well as stress levels among both students and teachers, on top of increased sensory skills, attention span and immunity. Kids, like adults, are products of their environments - when they get to learn valuable life lessons in the freeing, therapeutic comfort of the outdoors, they’re more in tune with their sense of self, therefore more enthusiastic towards learning. They develop an increased affinity for nature as well as human connection, which are essential qualities to pass onto future generations. This in turn heightens their civic engagement and attitude.

This information was passed on by Crazy Creek.

For over three decades, Crazy Creek has been a staple in the camping and outdoor community for their innovative and simple clam-shell design. The Original Chair is one of our most customizable, adaptable pieces that's light, super comfortable and easy to use and absolutely perfect for outdoor learning. Setting up in a second and super easy to move into any configuration that works, the Original Chair fits in any outdoor space and provides an excellent solution to outdoor classroom seating. Best of all - it can be customized with your school's logo (example of customizable logo below!).