Incorporating natural elements into the classroom may sound like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. There are countless simple steps any educator can take to make their students’ learning environment more calm and natural. Here are four ways to help get you started:
- Substitute plastic toys for items found in nature: while purchasing toys from the shop might be more convenient, you’d be missing a golden opportunity to include nature in the classroom. Fill your sandbox or sensory bins with pinecones, shells, chestnuts, sticks, bark, or other things commonly found in the forest or on the beach. Incorporating nature into a child’s play will help establish a positive relationship with nature outside of the classroom.
- Dim the lighting: classrooms can often have unforgivably bright lighting, which some children can find distracting or unpleasant. Perhaps bring in lamps and place them near corners of the room.
- Decorate your classroom with nature-related crafts: student-made art is a staple for any classroom’s aesthetic, so what better way to add elements from nature than by using art supplies found in nature? Some examples would be making owls out of pinecones and decorating a branch with wool.
- Add plants: a lovely manner to bring nature into the classroom.
