By Brooke Gibeault and Mathis Bredin, Grade 5 students

MANITOWANING—“Can I please order a coffee with milk?” “Coming right up!” This is what Grade 5 students heard when they took a tour through the Kindergarteners’ outdoor classroom at Assiginack Public School on November 18.

The outdoor classroom was made with help from Spry Carpentry (Bud Spry), Ken Hartley, and many parents. Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Stewart says, “The dream of an outdoor classroom is becoming a reality. We are so fortunate to have support of parents.” She further stated, “The Kindergarten’s outdoor classroom kitchen idea came from a Facebook post. The Kindergarten classroom is a third teacher for Kindergarten learners. Having an outdoor classroom is truly beneficial for student inquiry and exploration.”

This outdoor classroom is made from from non-treated eastern white cedar. It includes a sink and an attached table to serve people food and drinks. It also includes sand that was graciously donated by the Municipality of Assiginack. The outdoor classroom has also includes a pathway leading to an outdoor arbour. The Kindergarteners use the arbour as a home to play polar bear and house. Kindergarteners use the sink to imagine washing dishes and serving food at a restaurant. The Kindergarteners also like playing games like tag (Joshua Mccomb) and animals (Priscila Case).

Overall, when the Kindergarteners were playing in their outdoor classroom you could see smiles on their faces!