Plant the Seeds for Engaging Outdoor Learning

An outdoor chilcare space filled with trees, flowing water, and open green areas is of course the ideal environment for play and learning. In urban settings, however, playgrounds, are usually dominated by pavement. While this may seem limiting, it can become a strong foundation for nature inspired learning, with planters bringing greenery, texture, and hands on exploration into the space. 

Outlast Toddler Platforms Used as Planters

Embracing the Teachable Moment

A common concern among childcare staff is the fear of a "failed" garden. If the plants don't thrive, will the project be abandoned?

Actually, the attempt itself is the lesson. Gardening offers children a front-row seat to patience, resilience, and adaptation. Even if you only fill a planter with soil, you will soon discover vegetation and insects that children will be thrilled to explore. If a plant withers or a pest visits, it isn't a failure, it’s a scientific observation of the natural world in action.

TUYA - Outdoor Cedar Collection

Getting Started: Tips and Tricks

Here are some expanded tips to get your project off the ground:

• The Right Soil: If you are looking to plant something specific, avoid "garden soil" or topsoil from the ground, which is often too heavy and can contain weed seeds or pests. Instead, use a high-quality potting mix. 
• Follow the Sun: Position your planters in an area that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
• Smart Watering: Water your plants in the morning or late afternoon when they aren't in the direct heat of the midday sun. This prevents water from evaporating too quickly and keeps the leaves from getting scorched.
• Climbing Wonders: If you have a trellis, look for honeysuckle or grapevines. They are low-maintenance, provide beautiful vertical greenery, and are excellent for attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies.
• Timing: The cool weather of early spring is a good time to start seeds indoors. In late spring, when the weather grows warmer, children can plant easy-to-grow cool-weather veggies like spinach, lettuce, radishes, and peas.
• Quick Success: Lettuce, peas, green beans, and cherry tomatoes grow rapidly and provide edible rewards.
• Fruit: Strawberries are excellent for container gardening and can be tucked directly into larger planters.
• Simple Herbs: Oregano and basil are hardy and can even be sent home in little bunches for families.
• Winter: When gardening outdoors isn’t possible, bring the garden indoors by planting houseplants, growing a windowsill or kitchen garden, sowing seeds, or starting a creative project, such as building a bird feeder or making plant markers from craft sticks.
• Multiple Uses: Beyond gardening, a planter with a trellis can spark creativity as a display for artwork, outdoor treasures, or seasonal decorations. It can also serve as a versatile space for sensory play.

TUYA Large Planter with Trellis with Translucent Sand and Water Kit - Set of 33

Observation and Drawing Conclusions

Gardening is a living laboratory. By engaging children in the scientific process, we turn a simple planter into a hub of inquiry for "nature detectives".

• Growth Journals: Use stickers, markers, or stamps on a chart to track plant height. This helps children practice measurement and pattern recognition.
• Counting & Categorizing: For math and classification skills, have children count leaves, flowers, or even the bugs that visit the planters.
• Sensory Tools: Provide magnifying glasses or kaleidoscopes to inspect textures up close. You can even bring materials inside to a light table or compare real seeds to plant x-rays.
• Documenting Discoveries: Whether it’s a chalkboard, a mirror, or simple piece of paper, giving children a space to draw what they see helps them record and reflect on how living things change over time.

Easy Hold Magnifier

Plant X-Rays and Picture Cards - 84 Pieces

Choosing a Planter

• Drainage is Non-Negotiable: To avoid waterlogging, which can rot roots, ensure every container has drainage holes. TUYA planters are pre-drilled to ensure the soil stays healthy and aerated.
• Multi-tiered: Selecting a multi-tiered design provides different perspectives for children of various heights, allowing even the youngest toddlers to easily reach the soil.
• Cedar Wood: Cedar planters are durable, safe, and naturally resistant to rot and insects.
• Acetylated Wood: Consider planters made from acetylated wood, as this material resists splintering, warping, and shrinking even with constant exposure to soil and moisture.

TUYA 3-Tiered Plexi Glass Planter

CLICK HERE to download the Louise Kool Outdoor Classroom Planning Guide with examples, strategies, inspirations, and tips for realizing an outdoor classroom. Broken out by different learning areas, this guide will help you plan and create a new outdoor learning area or develop an existing space for STEM, literacy, creative arts, construction, energetic play, and more.