This week, in both our Tech class and Seminar class, we had the opportunity to participate in two Take Me Outside Days at different schools in our area. These experiences allowed us to engage with students in outdoor learning activities that promoted hands-on experiences with students, collaboration, and connection with nature. Each school experience offered a unique environment and atmosphere, giving us valuable insight into how outdoor education can look and feel across different grade levels and settings.

I created this Venn diagram using Canva, a digital design tool, to visually compare and contrast these experiences. This visual representation will help me reflect more deeply on the similarities and differences between the two Take Me Outside Days for my blog.

KO Take Me Outside Day

KO was the first school we visited for Take Me Outside Day. Our task for this event was to create and run game stations for groups of students to enjoy. My partner and I designed a station that involved scoops and wiffle balls, encouraging students to practice their coordination and teamwork. We also included a short poem on a sign, inviting students to complete it while they played with us as a creative reflection activity. A key focus of this Take Me Outside Day was the theme “I Love a Challenge,” which encouraged students to set personal goals and “level up” their skills as they played, striving to get just a little better each time they tried.

One of the key aspects of this activity was that it took place entirely on school grounds, outdoors in the field. This made the event well-contained and relatively safe for all students. Over the two-hour period, we saw many groups of students come and go. Most groups were small, ranging from about 4 to 10 students, which allowed for some interaction, though we didn’t have long with each group. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 rotated through our station, spending roughly 30 minutes each. This gave us the chance to connect with a wide range of ages in a short amount of time. I really enjoyed observing how each grade level approached the scoops activity differently and how their skills developed as they played. It was rewarding to see that every child seemed engaged and having fun in their own way.

GT Take Me Outside Day

GT was our second Take Me Outside Day experience, and it was completely different from the first! For this event, our class was partnered with a Grade 2 class, and together we walked to Elizabeth Lake for a scavenger hunt and a creative art activity that incorporated technology. Each pair from our class was matched with two to three Grade 2 students, which allowed for more individualized interaction. I really enjoyed the one on one time this structure provided, it gave my partner and me the chance to build stronger connections and get to know our student partners on a deeper level.

A major difference between this day and our experience at KO was that we took students off school grounds. Although the lake was nearby and we were able to walk, this added new challenges. I felt a bit nervous leading such energetic students along the road, as taking a class into the community always carries extra responsibility. We emphasized the importance of safety, reminding students to stay on the sidewalk and remain with the group. Once at the park, we reviewed the boundaries carefully and made sure to keep a close eye on our students, especially since we were near water.

Our activity began with a scavenger hunt where students searched for different animals, plants, and natural items around the lake. Afterward, we encouraged them to collect leaves to create their own “Leaf Man,” inspired by the book they had been reading in class that week. When the creations were complete, we used school iPads to photograph each student’s artwork before heading back to the school. While this day was a lot of fun, it also required greater awareness and responsibility, as we were in an unfamiliar setting compared to the contained schoolyard environment at KO.

Using the school iPads and an app called Chatterpix Kids we got the students to animate their “Leaf Man”. The only prep we had to do for this activity was in our Tech class the previous week where we learned how to work with Chatterpix Kids so we could easily work with the students. This little preparation allowed us to fully enjoy the day with the students as there wasn’t much planning or activities to be completed.

Similarities

Some of the similarities I noticed between these two experiences were that both provided opportunities to integrate outdoor learning into the classroom setting. Each Take Me Outside Day combined instruction with play based, hands on activities, allowing students to learn naturally through exploration and movement. What stood out to me was how engaged the students were, many of them were learning without even realizing it, because they were having fun. We were also lucky to have nice fall weather for both days, the sunshine and cool temperatures created the perfect conditions for outdoor learning and helped keep students motivated and comfortable.

The biggest similarity between the two experiences was that both offered valuable opportunities for me to grow as an educator. Working directly with students in these outdoor settings helped me see how learning can happen beyond the walls of a classroom. I learned the importance of flexibility, awareness, and creative planning when teaching outside, where there are more variables to manage. These experiences reinforced how powerful outdoor education can be for creating engagement, curiosity, and connection to the environment. Moving forward, I want to incorporate more outdoor learning opportunities into my future teaching practice, whether through nature walks, outdoor art projects, or inquiry based science activities to continue creating learning experiences that are active, meaningful, and memorable for my students.