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Experiential Learning encourages students to:

participate in an engaging learning activity,

reflect on the meaning of the activity, their understanding and their skill development, and

apply their knowledge to new and related challenges.

Outdoor Learning falls under the umbrella of experiential learning.

"When teachers take learning outdoors they report some powerful impacts: Children’s behaviour improves, whole classes are excited to learn, and individuals who feel inhibited by the curriculum often thrive in an outdoor environment.

Play is not only central to children’s enjoyment of childhood, but teaches critical life skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and creativity."

- Ideas from the 'Outdoor Classroom Day' website

Winter Scavenger Hunt

Winter is here and there is so much to notice and discover!

This link will provide you with a list of materials to help you prepare for your scavenger hunt, as well as many ideas to assist you in creating an adventure that meets the needs of your young learner. Make sure to scroll through the 5 helpful instructions, as printable pages full of images of winter are available that encourage students to use their five senses 'to find', 'to look for', 'to listen for', 'to smell' and 'to feel'. Below, you will find some ideas of ways to expand your child's learning throughout and following your hunt.

Manipulating and Displaying the Items:

Once you have completed your hunt, discuss ways to display or use the items you have collected together (your child might have a great idea to share). Do you have a little table or shelf at home to display your findings?

How might your child illustrate what they find or illustrate the experience of the adventure through drawings or pictures?

Creating Opportunities for Thinking and Communicating:

Spending time outside in nature is a wonderful place to engage in conversation with your child. During and following your adventure, talk about your experience. This will nurture your child's communication skills. Use the Experiential Learning Cycle prompts below for ideas:

Participate - During your hunt you might ask your child: What do you notice? What are you thinking about? How did that make you feel (e.g. when you finally found the chickadee)?

Reflect - After your hunt you might ask: What did you learn about the _____ (e.g. blue jay)? Tell me about the most exciting part of the hunt. Answering questions such as these helps your child to acknowledge and understand their own interests.

Apply - Then ask: What questions do you have now (e.g. about the pine needles on the tree, about the animal tracks on the snow, about the ice formation on the branches)? What you would you like to learn about next (e.g. about where the animals live in winter)?

Encourage your child to 'retell' the experience of the scavenger hunt or your adventure to another family member or friend. This will also help to develop communication skills.

Things to consider:

These activities listed here, and on the website, might be worked on throughout a weeks' time or more.

You might venture out daily to complete your hunt or to continue to add to your 'collection'.

Each time you arrive home, together, you might try a new way to display/use//talk about the collected items or about your adventure. Have you thought about keeping a digital journal containing photographs of your findings or experience? How else might you create a visual representation of your discoveries and adventures?

Enjoy and appreciate getting outside in the fresh air, the weather (whatever it might be) and spending time together - while talking, learning and having fun!

Here are some more Experiential Learning activities and links below for you to explore!

Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants

Access virtual, interactive field trips that students can participate via YouTube in real time. Ask questions and get an answer from the experts!

National Geographic Explorer Classrooms

Each virtual field trip can be attended live and comes with a family guide of activities to support learning. Wander around the National Geographic Site - there are many interactive resources to support learning at home.

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