An ever constant mantra in teaching is "what is the learning objective?"  Is your playground a place of active learning?  When I was a principal, I remember an experience while observing a classroom of 3rd graders.  Students were digging in a sand bucket for plastic dinosaurs. 

In California, dinosaurs are not in the 3rd grade course of study.   Sure, kids were busy, happy and good during the dinosaur lesson.  But when measured against third grade learning outcomes this activity fell short.  I know dinosaurs are intriguing.  However, my role as principal was to see that students were learning.   You get the idea.  "Busy, happy and good kids" may not be learning.

The same philosophy can be applied to most school experiences, so that we capitalize on the time students are learning.  Well designed playgrounds can contribute to  and become an outdoor learning environment or even an extension of the classroom without structuring or mandating what children do at recess. (We at Peaceful Playgrounds, do not support a structured recess).

Playground designs (like those offered by Peaceful Playgrounds) enhance the play environment.  They provide unstructured opportunities for academic and skill enhancement...........  More