03/20/2026
Virtual outdoor classrooms are fast becoming a popular public response to the needs of children and families during these unprecedented times of remote-learning classrooms. It makes sense that we would seek ways to expand learning spaces from indoors to outdoors ‒ and, now is an opportune time for parents and teachers to ensure that children take advantage of one of the safest learning spaces ‒ the outdoors.
Repurposing the outdoors by balancing virtual remote-learning classrooms with outdoor learning spaces, allows for much-needed periods of social interaction among ever active kids.
Whenever possible, it’s a way to get children outside and permit social distancing to occur naturally. A number of recent studies suggest that outdoor activities pose lower health risks by providing the health-giving essentials of fresh air, sunshine and ventilation.
Here’s some additional benefits that studies have shown:
• Outdoor classrooms provide the perfect setting to explore all subjects
• Unstructured play outdoors promotes creativity and problem-solving skills
• Better test scores and higher grade point averages
• Decreased behavior problems
• Reduced symptoms of ADHD