Out Door Family Learning, Heritage & Arts Activities
Above: toddler looking for ladybirds in an old tree.
At Dawn Chorus we encourage a supportive, nurturing culture, which builds early learning principles and practices based on the real world, to give meaningful, relevant experience. This can lead to positive life long learning patterns, improved confidence and self-direction. We believe that most youngsters want to be respected and trusted and want to co-operate in contributing to the community, in a responsible and sustainable way. We aim to build children’s confidence & encourage mentors to experiment with approaches to learning which are filled with vitality & creativity.
Above: exploring.
We aim to:
Raise awareness of the vital role played by families in raising levels of attainment.
Develop opportunities for parents, carers & guardians to support children and special needs family members; for example as part of our community awareness and well being work: we are arranging an event where mental health service users and young people with learning difficulties will visit the office of the Nottinghamshire Crime and Police Commissioner.
Foster involvement in hands on seasonal creative learning activities, which promote the understanding of the power of nature & horticulture, the arts & heritage, to help children to transform their understanding of the world and their communities.
Continue our popular annual photographic competitions.
Encourage family access to intergenerational activities, events and play- learning games to develop compassionate and creative thinking, social responsibility, healthy eating & mental wellbeing, basic skills, understanding of & skills in animal welfare, environmental and social responsibility.
Above: angel, Laxton Church.
We understand that creative and arts activities, stimulate learning and creativity in all academic areas. The arts develop neural systems such as motor skills and emotional balance, aesthetic awareness, cultural awareness, self-esteem, social harmony and appreciation of diversity.
2012 saw a 30% contraction in arts funding in the UK.
Above: “discovering the peg” used to mark the strips in the medieval strip farming still practiced at Laxton.
Helping children to understand cultural heritage and history builds self-esteem, pride in place & community & appreciation of diversity.
Below: green spaces are important for children.
