Outdoor Play & Physical Activity

Outdoor Play & Physical Activity

Extracurricular activities that’s both fun and educational

Playing outdoors has paramount benefits for young children. It’s a refreshing way for little ones to explore and take in their surroundings. Spending their days outdoors can lead to better physical and mental health, improved sleep, and cognitive, social, and emotional gains. Ensuring that outdoor play is an integral part of Eager Scholars’ education setting’s daily schedule supports early learning across all domains and unleashes a whole lot of joy for children.

Eager Scholars offers morning recess and afternoon recess for outdoor play and physical activity. A minimum of 90 minutes a day is reserved for outdoor play (if weather permitting). Children will have at least 30 minutes of structured (adult-led) physical activity and at least 60 minutes of unstructured (child-led) physical activity each day. There are three separate yard spaces whereby the different age groups play – the water splash pad area with picnic tables under the tree area, the middle playground with a play structure enclosed by a gate, and the grassy green area on the playground right that contains the sandbox. Ages 5 and up do not mix with ages 5 and under in the yard. Infants, 6 weeks through 12 months of age, may engage in outdoor play for an amount of time as tolerated by the infant.

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & OUTDOOR PLAY

Invites children to learn science
Promotes and helps develop STEM skills
Improves physical health
Promotes social interaction & collaboration

Exposes children to new contexts for learning
Improves sleep and rest
Gives children opportunities to identify and take risks
Introduces children to the world around them.

Structured physical activity is carefully planned and supervised by an adult. Examples of structured physical activity that Eager Scholars provide include bean bag games, Simon says, tag, kickball, and musical chairs, etc.

More examples of physical activities: animal walks, digging for treasure, wet sponge designs, leaf play, balance beams, stone walks, keeping the balloon up, sack races, chasing bubbles, and many more.

Free play allows children the freedom to explore, create, and discover without predetermined rules or guidelines. Little ones take turns learning how to listen and share, develop imaginary situations, and make decisions together.

RECOMMENDED CLOTHING

School uniforms are mandatory at Eager Scholars. Therefore, the children come dressed in appropriate clothing and footwear for outdoor play.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

When the weather doesn’t permit outdoor play, children will still be engaged in physical activities in our indoor environment. Our nap room, which also serves as our after-school age room, is open and is used for physical indoor play. The child’s classroom will also foster the environment to allow for physical activities and indoor play. A minimum of 60 minutes per day of physical activity is required during inclement weather days for indoor play.