Leading the Way: BOPN Children Demonstrate Learning on a Tour with their Grown Ups

"Mapping" is a concept adults often assign to older adolescents, forgetting that young children notice every detail in the scenery that surrounds them. Please read our guest blog post below from a returning BOPN parent. In this story, we see how showing off favorite adventure spots presented their children with the opportunity to organize and communicate their spatial knowledge. Thank you Michael, Caroline, Harry, and Ollie!

Prior to the introduction of daily updates (which often share the name of the adventure spot), I used to play "guess the adventure spot" with my daughter, a game in which I would rattle off all the adventure spots I knew until I correctly guessed which one the class had visited that day. How do YOU connect with your child about their days at BOPN? Let us know in the comments!

School is a transformative experience for our children, but as parents, at the beginning of the school year, we are oftentimes focused on preschool being the first experience our kids will have without us!

As a BOPN parent, I get a daily lift when I look at the teacher updates, with accompanying pictures and captions. At pick up, when I ask our kiddos about their day, they sometimes struggle to recall the details. I don’t blame them - I remember the countless times my parents would ask me how my day went, and I would respond with a “fine.” They’ve moved on, They’re no longer immersed in the excitement of the day. I get it.

So I’d like to share a "hack" that Caroline, my wife, and I discovered, which makes it possible for us grown ups to experience BOPN with our children.

On the day before Ollie and Harry were set to start their second year at BOPN, we attended the "Meet and Greet" for the toddler and preschool classes. Since it was a beautiful day, we decided to get to Elm Bank early, which gave us enough time to take a quick walk on one of the hiking trails.

As we walked, our sons got excited to show us their adventure spots. At four and two years old, they were our tour guides! They sought out natural landmarks found along the way to their selected adventure spot to assure us that they were headed in the right direction. We were so impressed at how our boys had developed "internal maps" and were able to use these to show us around their campus.

First up in the outdoor classroom tour was "Dirt Hills," a name given lovingly by the children, just off the main trail and to the left. Sure enough, there are two small hills. It was less "dirty" than I had expected! Instead, we arrived at a spot with totally compacted, normal ground.

There was a structure built between the two hills, made up of dozens of arm-length sticks. “The fort is new!” yelled Harry, delighted. He saw this new structure as something to explore and discover.

“Here’s where we play the ANT GAME!” shouted Harry and he danced up a hill and around a tree. Ollie followed Harry around, beaming.

Just down the path was "The Ravine" - it looked a bit like a halfpipe. Harry and Ollie showed off how they play there. They started at the top of one side, ran down into the bottom of the ravine, then back up to the other side. As my toddler and preschooler re-enacted blissful memories of play, I saw that this was more than an impromptu tour. It was also an opportunity for the children to teach us about their school experience.

We were only there for ten or fifteen minutes before we needed to get back to the Meet and Greet. But it was a wonderful window into their world at school. They were so excited to show us and so engaged in the sense memory of the different spots. We were able to get so much information from them about their friends and what games they play.

As we got to experience the nature classroom with Harry and Ollie, Caroline and I became more connected to them. We did not get only a retelling of the school experience; rather, we became active participants in the school experience. How could you not when you’re running up and down in a ravine in the woods?

I’d like to encourage other current families to find time in the coming months to explore the outdoor classrooms. Pick a weekend morning, pack a snack and water, and go take a walk in the forest at Elm Bank or the landscapes at the Arboretum. You won’t make it far before you start hearing all about Adventure Spots.

For those of you thinking about BOPN, consider offering your children this connection with the natural world. It will mean the world to you!