Mud slides can be like a sledding hill

When I began The Outdoor Preschool, I couldn't have imagined some of the things kids would find fun.  In the 3 years since I began TOP I have learned just as much from the kids as they have learned from me.  I didn't know that kids could find a steep dirt bank with a trail next to it as compelling as a sledding slope would be.

Once the kids figured out that a dirt/mud bank can be a bit slippery it became the place to be for the morning.  The kids eagerly ran up the bank, giggling and yelling to their friends and laughing as they slipped down.  They were careful to not knock over the other kids and no one got hurt or pushed. 

Other kids decided they wanted to run down the hill on the trail right next to the mud slide.  We hiked up and ran down, hiked up and ran down, hiked up and ran down-you get the picture.  Over and over-just like you would with a sled or on skis. As we ran down we  made noises and some of us put out our arms like we were flying.  Again and again.  Each time we picked up a few more kids until we had about 8 kids running down the hill together.  Again, no one got run over or pushed out of the way-everyone was aware of their body in space even though they were eager to go as fast as they could.

The Outdoor Preschool kids learn how to use their bodies in safe ways because they are out there-where there are no straight lines or man made play grounds.