Child Educational Center
La Cañada Flintridge, CA
The Child Educational Center is an institution that serves the local community providing quality childcare. It is also a major center in the world for educating childcare providers about the importance of nature to the developing child through its Outdoor Classroom project.
Ronnie Siegel has had the honor of growing with this institution for 30 years. From the early 1990’s to the current time, she provided the design component needed to translate their child development expertise into the design of the outdoor spaces. Work began with a master plan developed for their more than one-acre area of outdoor play, learning, and living spaces for infants to five year old children. The installation of the plan was phased over many years as financing became available.
The Child Educational Center is an institution that serves the local community providing quality childcare. It is also a major center in the world for educating childcare providers about the importance of nature to the developing child through its Outdoor Classroom project.
Ronnie Siegel has had the honor of growing with this institution for 30 years. From the early 1990’s to the current time, she provided the design component needed to translate their child development expertise into the design of the outdoor spaces. Work began with a master plan developed for their more than one-acre area of outdoor play, learning, and living spaces for infants to five year old children. The installation of the plan was phased over many years as financing became available.
The design separated the ages as desired with fencing that disappeared and became activity elements such as easel walls, tree houses, art, and garden elements. Each of the age group yards had outdoor rooms that included areas to climb, imagine, create art, build, encourage dramatic play opportunities, tricycle without conflict, to construct and experiment with sand, water, wood, stone, and plants, and to discover nature. The biggest design challenges were to provide safety yet still have challenge; to promote a sustainable ecosystem between the plants and the 200 curious nature explorers with a minimum of rules; to work within a limited budget; and to create an unprogrammed multitude of natural experiences in art, science, music, dance, physical development, creativity, and imagination all at once for hundreds of children without conflict between the users.
After finishing the last phase of this thirty year-long project in 2020, Ronnie appreciates what a rewarding experience it was to collaborate with this group of amazing pioneers in the child development field. Helping each other grow set a great example for the importance of collaborating across disciplinary fields. This collaboration made us better able to help children thrive and create important bonds with nature to carry them through life.
Child Education Center (Before)
Child Education Center (Before)
The design separated the ages as desired with fencing that disappeared and became activity elements such as easel walls, tree houses, art, and garden elements. Each of the age group yards had outdoor rooms that included areas to climb, imagine, create art, build, encourage dramatic play opportunities, tricycle without conflict, to construct and experiment with sand, water, wood, stone, and plants, and to discover nature. The biggest design challenges were to provide safety yet still have challenge; to promote a sustainable ecosystem between the plants and the 200 curious nature explorers with a minimum of rules; to work within a limited budget; and to create an unprogrammed multitude of natural experiences in art, science, music, dance, physical development, creativity, and imagination all at once for hundreds of children without conflict between the users.
After finishing the last phase of this thirty year-long project in 2020, Ronnie appreciates what a rewarding experience it was to collaborate with this group of amazing pioneers in the child development field. Helping each other grow set a great example for the importance of collaborating across disciplinary fields. This collaboration made us better able to help children thrive and create important bonds with nature to carry them through life.