For over thirty years, Joyful Noise Preschool, a part of the First Church UCC in Sandwich, has been enriching the lives of so many pre-Kindergarten children on the Cape. Earlier in the school year, Program Director Terri Lippman, presented her vision for the coming year: an outdoor learning center with which the children can interact. A Mid-Cape team member, and father of one of the preschool children, stepped up to volunteer his time to build a fully-equipped outdoor learning center, and Mid-Cape gladly donated the materials for the project.
As time progresses, children seem to be spending more time with technology and less time with nature. Program Director Terri’s purpose in wanting to construct an outdoor learning center was to promote the educational growth of her pupils while immersing them in a natural, outdoor environment.
It’s been a great way to present the hands-on incorporation of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to the preschool kids and has proven to be very successful! Mid-Cape team member Mike made blocks of wood the children can use to build whatever they like, he built balance beams cut right out of trees, put plastic piping together to be used as ramps for the children’s toys, and more! One of the outdoor learning center objects that has been a noticeably popular attraction for the kids is the stage. As can be seen in photos below, they use their imagination to put on fairy princess shows and even rock ‘n roll concerts on their brand new performance stage!
Program Director Terri is very excited that rather than kids just running around and chasing after each other to let off some steam, they are learning important concepts as they interact with nature as well as with each other. Once each child discovered their problem-solving potential and creative capabilities while using the learning center, it gave them confidence in themselves. Terri went on to say, “Having Mid-Cape donate supplies really made this happen for us.”
This outdoor learning center is not only beneficial for these children, but for many others for years to come. Mid-Cape is very honored to have been able to donate materials for this project and through this, to have invested in the youth of our local community.
To learn more about Joyful Noise Preschool, click here.
