At Tawingo College we get outside as often as we can for some important and practical reasons. With a strong focus on outdoor activities children are more likely to:
A 2011 University of Essex study shows that participating in outdoor activities improves children’s mental health, increases physical activity and boosts self-esteem. Children report feeling happier, more energetic and having a more positive outlook on their school, home and social lives. Despite this, a survey of young Canadians found that 70 per cent spend an hour or less a day outdoors.That is why Ontario has brought in a Children's Outdoor Charter. It recommends 12 outdoor activities for Ontario children including swimming in a lake, harvesting something to eat, paddling a canoe and observing plants and wildlife. All twelve of the activities are things that Tawingo students engage in on a regular basis. Click here to read the full article on the new Children's Outdoor Charter. What's more - we have found that regular outdoor activity stimulates learning. The students at Tawingo College spend time running & playing outside before and after school, during morning and afternoon recess and at lunchtime. This outdoor time is not spent standing around on concrete playgrounds. We don't have any of those. We offer instead wide expanses of grass playing fields, trees for forts, hills for toboggans in the winter, and dirt to dig in (they are kids and getting dirty is okay). The students have access to all sorts of sporting equipment including balls, nets, and courts. All students, including those in the higher grades, actually play at recess and come back inside with rosy cheeks and lots of energy for learning. There are no handheld video games or ipods allowed on school grounds.Both students and parents are encouraged to bring sporting equipment to the school and are welcome to use the grounds. Students can bring their toboggans and bikes to school. In the winter the students can toboggan down the hill from the parking lot to the school. Parents are welcome to bring their dog(s) and walk them on the Tawingo trails. The cross country ski trails and hiking trails are also open to Tawingo families. Outdoor Education Program This program is an important part of our school curriculum and a regular part of the school week. Depending on the grade level of the students, Outdoor Education includes exploring the natural environment, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, nordic skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, orienteering, rockwall climbing, cycling, making maple syrup, out trips, hiking, and gardening. It includes the study of astronomy, ecology, and experiential education, more specifically, in roughly alphabetical order...amphibian surveys and monitoring, benthic monitoring, bird, mushroom, moth studies, environmental art, environmental assessment, shoreline restoration and watershed awareness, soils, solar ovens and alternative energy, stream and pond studies, no trace firebuilding and camping, winter camping.  Our Outdoor Education Program not only teaches the students important skills but also fosters a true love and respect for the environment that will last them a life time. Just Do It Every week the entire school participates in the Just Do It program. The actual activity varies from week to week and season to season but it is typically some sort of team game, is always outside, always includes everyone, is always fun and always involves exercise. It has a multitude of benefits for the students of Tawingo College. It is an opportunity for the older students to discover and develop their leadership skills as they work with the younger students. This is a great learning experience for students who start out in the lower grades and find themselves transitioning from being one of the younger students to being in the higher grades. It helps all of the students develop the skills necessary to work on a team. All of the students look forward to this mid-week activity. |
The Outdoors Plays a Key Role at Tawingo College