The Knox County Head Start program recently opened an outdoor education center at the New Hope Early Education Center on Upper Gilchrist Road in Mount Vernon, outdoor classroom specialist Hillary Ramsey told the Mount Vernon News.
The agency recently received funds from United Way and money from the federal CARES Act to complete the project.
"We've really focused on getting children outdoors as much as possible," Ramsey said. "The connection to nature is kind of centering for adults and children alike. The different textures, the different senses they get to use outside, just the fresh air outside gives a centered and calm feeling for children to be able to explore and learn."
The Head Start program helps prepare children for school.
"Knox County Head Start works in partnership with the community to provide quality preschool, child care and family services," the agency said on its website. "Our purpose is to engage children, families and staff in reaching their full potential."
The new outdoor education center has "different areas for different experiences," Ramsey said.
"We're working with the Ohio State University Extension Service right now on a gardening space," she said. "We have some raised planters. Students are filling the beds with soil and learning about the gardening process."
Then there is the classic "dirt digging" area where children can have fun playing in the dirt.
"It's a designated area for dirt digging, so it doesn't interfere with spaces where we plant," she said.
There is also an area for kids to use tools to build things out of sticks, limbs, twigs and other materials.
"We're really excited to be able to have a space dedicated to getting kids outdoors and having those different areas for learning," she said. "Really anything that we've done in the classroom, we can take outside. Now we have the space for them to be able to do that."
