“Every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances” (Adams, 2008).

This week, we were learning how take the arts into the outdoor environment and also how to make art with the natural resources found there.

We ventured outside into the university campus and explored the enviornment and created a project with whatever resources we could find.

The intervention that I liked the most was the “yarn bombing”. It involves wrapping yarn around trees and other outdoor objects to create a vibrant, colourful environment filled with unique patterns to create a quirky yet peaceful feeling. These sort of projects allow learners creative autonomy, as well as to embrace and enjoy the outdoor environment.

Me and my friend felt a little apprehensive and were not sure exactly what we wanted create during this session. However, we decided to just embrace the activity and the outdoor environment, and see where the creative process took us. We ended up making an “outdoor wind chime” We made this using natural materials that we found in the university campus. This was achieved by hanging long, leaves over an already existing wooden frame that allowed them to float in the breeze. These then brushed against a leafy branch which created a gentle rustling sound when the wind blew.

I think that outdoor learning is of paramount importance. Integrating art and outdoor learning allows children to open their eyes and engage with the world around them in a way that they may never have previously done.

Learning that emphasises the built environment and public art has a variety of benefits including: moral and cultural wellbeing; social development; intellectual development; and emotional wellbeing (Adams, 2008). According to Adams (2008) bringing the expressive arts outdoors also nurtures alternative thinking and feeling and teach that there are various ways to view and percieve the world around us (Eisner, 2002).

“Children are learning all the time, in any environment where they find themselves… Learning does not take place only in the classroom” (Adams, 2008).

References

Adams, E (2008) Art and Design Education and the Built Environment. In Coutts G. & Jokela, T. (Eds) Art, Community and Environment: Educational Perspectives. Bristol: Intellect.

Eisner, E. (2002) 4, What the Arts Teach. In: The Arts and the Creation of Mind.