Outdoor Classroom Designs

Learning Outdoors

Combining learning and the outdoors creates an environment that is flexible, open and where there is room for students to learn together, apart. Outdoors, children are healthier, happier and do better academically while getting much-needed nature exposure.

Designing your outdoor classroom may seem like a lot of new things to think about, but to us, it’s another day living the dream. With the help of our talented Design Team, your local Burke Representative is ready to help you build an outdoor classroom that will inspire exploration, activity and offer hands-on experience for years to come. Our outdoor spaces expand the meaning of classroom with options for music, fitness and educational games that help everyone learn. Browse our Outdoor Classroom Gallery.

Here are some ways outdoor learning supports students and staff:

Students are more attentive. A win for both the student and educator!
Consistent exposure to nature promotes feelings of well-being and decreases stress and anxiety.
Children often see and experience things through the eyes of others via various forms of media. Outdoor learning helps them experience these things for themselves.
Active kids are healthier kids and being outside inspires activity!
Exposure to sunlight and Vitamin D.
Learning to cooperate, communicate and manage conflicts. Outdoors children are more willing to work in groups where they learn these skills naturally.
Room to distance together. In our ever-changing world, kids still need to socialize and doing so outdoors provides the space they need to be apart but still together.

Contact your local Burke Representative to get started!

Novo^® Playful Furniture

Novo Playful Furniture makes it simple to create a learning environment that enriches and engages all children while providing comfort and ease for teachers and caregivers. Novo Playful Furniture combines form and function to generate fun and creative site amenities that can be used to create an outdoor classroom space that invites children to learn in-person with space to follow social distancing guidelines. Learning and play go hand-in-hand and our talented Design Team can help your school community design a flexible and productive space to help students grow and develop.

PlayEnsemble^® Music Play

Music education is an important and fun part of learning for children. PlayEnsemble, Burke’s collection of outdoor musical instruments, brings a higher level of musical expression to outdoor classrooms and learning spaces. As a universal experience that inspires everyone to create, music brings a sense of wonder to the learning environment. Musical experiences aren’t just play; they also play an important role in accelerating child development intellectually, socially and emotionally as well as enhance overall motor skills, language and literacy. Designing an outdoor classroom that includes musical spaces will help round out education while allowing for adherence to social distancing protocols.

ELEVATE^® Fitness Course

Movement is an excellent way to keep kids healthy and excited about physical fitness – and help improve focus during class times. ELEVATE Fitness Course makes fitness fun for children ages 5-12 and 13+ at all levels while providing an option for Physical Education that is outdoors and easy to maintain distance. Each obstacle has three levels of challenge and multiple options within each level to ensure that everyone can participate and have a positive experience. Adding ELEVATE as part of your outdoor classroom repertoire is certain to engage and enrich children while helping them burn off much-needed energy and allowing them to gain the benefits of increased physical fitness. A well-designed obstacle course builds upper and lower body and core strength, agility, cardiovascular fitness, balance and coordination while instructional videos offer guidance on form and use. Bring out the ninja in all your students and watch them work to excel.

Learning and playing outdoors is a great way for kids to be together, apart. While outdoors, they can practice healthy hand hygiene with Burke’s new Hand Sanitizer Station. Following the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, students and teachers can use hand sanitizer as an alternative to soap and water. This allows everyone to keep their hands clean before, during and after learning or play. Learn more.

In addition to keeping our hands clean for play, having clean outdoor classrooms and playspaces is always important and necessary. When looking for information on cleaning community spaces, The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website is the best location to go to for current information and best practices.