October 19th, 2022

Today, October 19, is Take Me Outside Day. What does that mean for our students? It could mean fresh air, a different perspective, and the chance to explore beyond classroom walls!

Take Me Outside Day raises awareness about the benefits of outdoor and land-based learning by encouraging teachers to take their students outdoors during the school day. Subjects like science, physical education and geography have obvious outdoor connections yet math, language, social studies, music and drama can occur outside too! Some students may take a nature journal out under a tree for a poetry assignment, while other classes may apply their measurement, geometry, or mapping knowledge to the natural landmarks around their school. To take part at home, you can find a variety of downloadable WRDSB outdoor learning resources on the Outdoor and Environmental Education homepage.

Take Me Outside Day is also an opportunity for students to unplug from technology and spend time in nature to focus on their well-being. Being active outdoors benefits child development and helps improve academic performance, social skills, mental health and resiliency. Learning outdoors can also benefit a child’s creativity, problem-solving skills, independence, confidence and more. It also allows children to connect with their local ecology and fosters curiosity about the natural world around them.

Across Turtle Island, Indigenous leaders have called on all nations to listen to and learn from the Land. Taking our learning outdoors can be a way for students to honour this call and reconnect to the environment.

Join the Conversation

Share how you’re participating in Take Me Outside Day on social media using #TakeMeOutsideDay and tag @WRDSB on Twitter and Facebook, or @WR_DSB on Instagram.