Taylor School will soon have outdoor classroom for kids

Kids looking for a little exercise and a new way to study nature will benefit from a project now under way at Taylor Elementary School in Cedar Rapids.

Parents, school staff and volunteers spent hours on Wednesday planting all the greenery for what will become a large outdoor classroom at the school.  Taylor received $75,000 in funding from a number of groups to create what's called a “Nature Explore Classroom.”

The new professionally-designed outdoor area behind the school includes sections that focus on nature, art, climbing and crawling.  Principal Brian Christoffersen said all the plants that are part of the outdoor classroom are native to Iowa.  And he expects the students to incorporate all the natural study opportunities in a variety of ways.

“All of our students will use it throughout the year for some hands on things for science lessons, and hopefully the community at large can enjoy the outdoor classroom every evening,” Christoffersen said.

The principal said the outdoor learning area even includes a mini amphitheater where kids can sit for lessons when the weather cooperates.

Taylor is a year-round school, and students are currently on a scheduled break until early October. So they won't get to see the changes for a couple of weeks.