Outdoor Classroom Ideas - Performance Art & Stages

A stage may sound intimidating for most adults, but when you give young children a chance to hop on stage and dance, or perform with colored parachutes, or talk to their peers about what they’re learning, they don’t get nervous. And stages don’t just have to be used for performing - they make great gathering places as well. On an outdoor classroom stage, you won’t find taped blue squares with names for children to sit in. You’ll find that when children are outdoors and don’t have restricted sitting areas, they focus better, they enjoy the lessons, and they’re more respectful to their classmates. Teachers can bring to the stage whatever they may be working on: letters, coloring, books. If you can work on it inside, you can bring it outside.

Including a section for chimes and musical instruments offers even more ways for children to build social skills. Music and movement provide students an opportunity to express themselves creatively and explore their emotions in a safe and supportive environment. And even if children aren’t interested in making music themselves, they almost always join in to dance.