What is your idea of a perfect playground? If the words "natural," "safe," and "outdoors in nature" come to mind, you are on the right track. A playground needs to replicate nature and provide a variety of areas for children to play.  Gardens, streams, loose parts, places to get away from crowds, and things to create, are all things that help make a great play area.  A grassy area is needed for running and game playing. A climbing structure is needed to develop motor skills. A hard surface is needed for balls and bikes. A sand/dirt box is important for children to have sensory activities. Providing many areas along with a shaded, relaxing area gives children many options when at a playground.

Bringing the inside out is a great way to add to your playground. Allowing children to experience not just physical activities outside, but also dramatic play and art is important. Painting, play dough, and chalk are few examples of things that you could bring outside. Or you could put water color in spray bottles and have the children spray paint the paper. Children can also bring dress up clothes and kitchen items outside for variety. Having a picnic outside and encouraging children to use sticks, leaves, rocks, and other items found in nature will help foster their imagination. Using blocks and building materials outside will give children a different perspective on a typical classroom activity. The materials that you bring outside don't have to have a specific use but could be open-ended items like a box or a tub.  These types of materials really foster creativity.

The respect and appreciation of nature is also developed as children spend time outside. They will also be engaged in activities that will help to develop their five senses. When a child is watching TV, he/she is only using hearing and sight, while outdoor play has the ability to offer a multisensory experience.

While children are playing, it is very hard sometimes for adults not to intervene. Allowing children to make mistakes, explore the surroundings, and socialize will allow them to maximize their outdoor experiences. Adults also need to recognize that children need to test boundaries and skills and it is okay to let children jump, climb, and challenge themselves on the playground.

One of the largest concerns for parents when at a playground is safety. Here are four tips to help keep your child safe at the playground.  

1. Supervision. It only takes one second for a child to become unsafe or injured. It is so important for parents to be vigilant while there child is playing.
2. Close Inspection. Parents also need to make sure they are monitoring the areas were their child is playing. Not all children fit every area of a playground. Making sure you child is in an age appropriate area will help them stay safe. Most playgrounds are designed for children ages 2-5 and 5-12, so not all equipment fits all ages. A rule of thumb is if the child cannot reach the piece of equipment or go down the slide on their own then they should not be on it.
3. Fall Surface. The higher the child is from the ground the harder they fall. A child 2-5 should be no higher than six feet from the ground. A child 5-12 should be no higher than eight feet from the ground.
4. Maintenance. The final area to consider is the equipment and surfacing maintenance. Adults should be aware of any sharp edges, broken equipment, and in general any unsafe areas of the playground.

Here at UCDC, we are always looking for new ways to maximize your child's time on the playground. We are always trying out new activities and adding new items to the playground. We have recently added small tree stumps to the playground and digging materials to our dirt box that are readily accessible to the children. A few weeks ago, we collected lots of boxes and added them to the playground. The children loved sitting in them, building with them, pushing around their friends, and playing imaginatively with the boxes. Keep watching our playground for more and different materials as the seasons change.

Resources used:   

Early Childhood News. Take it outside!  By: Rea Pica

Early Childhood News. Outdoor Play: Design, Building, and Remolding Playground for Young Children. By: Francis Wardie, Ph.D.

Early Childhood News. Maximize Outdoor Play: Moving Interest Centers Outdoors By: Nancy P. Alexander 

Early Childhood News. Play SAFE: Tips for Parents to Remember When Taking Children to Playgrounds. By: Susan D. Hudson, Ph.D., Donna Thompson, Ph.D., and Heather M Olsen, M.A. 

Monkey and Me is a fun story that follows a young child's exciting adventure with her stuffed monkey.  Throughout their journey, they see many interesting friends.  They spot penguins, kangaroos, bats, elephants, and yes, even real monkeys!  But, alas, the fun filled adventure eventually comes to an end as the child and her stuffed monkey finally fall asleep!

Monkey and Me is a Toddler 4 favorite for a couple of reasons.  First, its repetitive refrain ("monkey and me, monkey and me, monkey and me, we went to see, we went to see some...") is easy for the toddlers to remember and repeat.  Their favorite part of reading Monkey and Me is guessing and shouting out which animal the duo will run into next!  So don't be surprised if you walk past Toddler 4 and hear the children shouting "ELEPHANTS!" at the top of their lungs!  Young children everywhere can relate to Monkey and Me because, after all, what child doesn't love or appreciate animals? 

Why isn't playground/gym time more organized at UCDC?

First and foremost, children of this young age aren't developmentally ready for organized sports. As an infant or toddler, they aren't yet ready to follow the rules of an organized game such as soccer and they don't have the gross motor coordination to be able to keep up with the physical demands of the sport either. Our younger preschoolers are quickly gaining the skills to be able to physically play the games, but their attention spans are still too short to engage in a full organized game. The older preschoolers are able to play more organized games and they will do this in the gym or on the playground. You won't see a completely structured game with full length quarters and organized positions on the playing field, but you might see some kids kicking around a soccer ball or practicing hitting a ball off of a tee.

What you may see is a teacher organizing a preschool class on the playground or in the gym to play a teacher initiated game such as Simon Says or Follow the Leader. These games require following directions and gross motor coordination, but are shorter and more age appropriate.

At UCDC, we have a strong play-based philosophy that is child-initiated and child-driven. Therefore, we choose to allow our children to freely explore their environment while in the gym and on the playground. If you would observe on any given day on our playground, you may see a group of children in the dirt box, another set of children playing a loosely organized game of soccer in the grassy area, a pair of children painting at the easel, another cluster of kids at the table with table toys, a group of infants on a blanket with small toys, some children on the climbers, and others putting on a show on the stage. There is much variance in the play that happens on the playground and that is purposefully designed to match UCDC's child-driven, play-based philosophy.

If you have a child who will be entering Kindergarten this year, please provide the office with their official last day as soon as possible. Advance notice allows us to plan for transitions within the building and access the waiting list in a more efficient way.  

Staff Appreciation Dinner 

To all parents and families who contributed to the Staff Appreciation Dinner in any way and to the families and friends that were able to join us for the dinner- THANK YOU! The dinner was a huge success and our goal of showing appreciation to the very special and unique individuals that take care of your children was certainly achieved. If you were not able to join us this year, please try to join us next year. It is a very special evening and we think that you'll enjoy it very much!

Parking Lot Safety

Please exercise caution and maintain a slow speed in our parking lot and on Clyde Street. Children spend a lot of time outside in the summer months and traffic has been unusually heavy. Also, please encourage your child to stay close to you or to hold your hand in the lot and on the sidewalk.   We are teaching children the importance of staying with their group and not running ahead and could use your support!

Families Leaving UCDC 

To families who will be leaving us in the coming months- it has been a joy and a privilege to have you as a part of our UCDC family. We wish you all the best as you and your child begin to have new and exciting experiences outside the walls of UCDC.

UCDC Bags  

We have several extra bags left over from the Staff Appreciation Dinner. They are blue, drawstring, backpack-type bags with UCDC printed on them. If you are interested in purchasing one, please come to the main office. We are selling them for $3 per bag. Again, thanks for your support!