Each fall, the Early School comes alive in ways that feel both familiar and entirely new. As our youngest learners settle into the rhythm of their days, their curiosity widens, their confidence stretches, and their sense of belonging deepens. This transformation is especially visible in the Early School Outdoor Classroom—a thoughtfully designed space where children climb, build, wonder, and collaborate, and where the natural world becomes both backdrop and catalyst for learning. Here, ideas take shape in sand and soil, questions emerge from close observation, and meaningful connections form as children learn alongside one another.

Please enjoy the following article, written by Early School Naturalist and Pre-Primary teacher, Rachael Carter, who beautifully captures the discoveries, relationships, and shared experiences that make fall such a magical season for our youngest learners.

Fall is such a special time of year in the Early School. Our students are settled into routines, forming meaningful friendships, and we, as teachers, get to watch their confidence and curiosity grow as they explore the many meaningful places on our campus. One of these favorite places is the Early School Outdoor Classroom—a space designed not only for climbing, building, and moving, but also for thinking, wondering, and exploring in ways that support both the body and the mind. 

In Reggio-inspired learning, the environment acts as a “third teacher,” shaping how children think and explore. The Outdoor Classroom gives children the room to develop motor skills, but it also nurtures curiosity, problem-solving, and collaborative play. Each year, our Fall Family Explorations invite parents and caregivers into this space, offering a chance to see firsthand how much learning happens when children are encouraged to follow their ideas.

This year, my class has been deeply engaged in a study of homes – what makes them special, how they reflect who we are, and how we can design them. The children have been sharing stories about their own homes and building imaginative structures using a variety of materials. Their curiosity deepened when we learned about Ashley Hall’s founder, Mary Vardrine McBee, and took a walk to visit the historic McBee House. The children wondered aloud which room might have been her bedroom and compared what they imagined inside her home to familiar objects in their own. So it was only natural that this work shaped our Fall Family Exploration. Because our children were so invested in thinking about homes, we designed invitations for the Outdoor Classroom that allowed families to join in on the inquiry through building, ink printing, imagining, and storytelling.

When our Fall Family Exploration began, the children took the lead, and their confidence shone in big and small ways. Rowan shouted happily, “Listen! Listen to this!” and then he began hitting the marimba with the mallets as his parents swayed, dancing to the beat. Nearby, Emma explored printing shapes with Duplo blocks and ink pads, telling her mom, “I need black.  This house is going to be black,” connecting her artistic choices to our study of homes.

Parents made discoveries of their own, too. Jones, who loves the microscope, spent much of the morning examining our class collection of natural objects. When his dad realized he was looking at whelk egg casings and whelk shells at the beginning of their formation, he exclaimed, “Jones, did you know that?!” Jones replied in his calm, matter-of-fact way, “Yeah, Dad. I know. They are baby whelk shells. They are so tiny, yeah. Neat, huh?” It was a moment they both will remember.

Everywhere you looked, there were scenes like this—Simi laughing with her mom as they sent balls racing down a ball run, children guiding their parents through familiar materials, and families working together to create, build, design, play, and discover.

And even after families headed home, the experience continued to live in our classroom. We revisit photos, tell stories, and make new connections through play. The children share memories: “I did this with my mom outside, and now I’m doing it with you!” and “Look! Your mommy is talking to my mommy—they’re friends!”

Their reflections captured the heart of the day: Goldie shared, “I like my mommy, and I show her my Simi and peoples outside, and Claud in my dirt.”  Edwina beamed, “I draw with my mommy, daddy, and bebe, and play in the dollhouse with baby Marjorie.” Isla reflected, “My favorite part was my mama watching me going down the slide.” And her sister Sloane quickly added, “Yeah, I liked doing the drums with my mom!”

Ultimately, the best part of Fall Family Explorations is watching children share their school lives with the people they love most. These shared experiences strengthen their sense of belonging, provide continued inspiration, and deepen the bridge between home and school—all essential foundations for meaningful learning.

Our Fall Family Exploration is only the first chapter. The Outdoor Classroom, our garden beds, the Nature Retreat, and the wider Ashley Hall campus will keep offering new stories for children to write with their hands, their voices, and their imaginations. In these spaces, children test ideas, build together, slow down to notice, and discover that learning can feel like an adventure—one that unfolds outdoors, in motion, and in community.

Rachael Carter

Early School Naturalist and Faculty Member