Playing outside means learning outside! LINCK guides the development of "outdoor classrooms" which are all-natural play spaces that stimulate learning and the use of all five senses. They were created by the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation and the Arbor Day Foundation.

LINCK is helping to create outdoor classrooms in public spaces (parks, preserves and beaches); in educational settings (schools and early childhood programs); in youth programs, camps and farms; and in neighborhoods and backyards. There are many outdoor classrooms on Long Island, several of which are open to the public.

The following outdoor classrooms are open to the public:

• Bailey Arboretum, Lattington
• Long Island Children’s Museum, Uniondale
• Middle Country Public Library, Centereach
• Suffolk County Farm and Education Center, Yaphank

The following outdoor classrooms are in schools and early childhood programs:

• CA Montessori Children’s Center, Islandia
• Drexel Avenue School, Westbury
• Islip Early Head Start, Central Islip
• Five Towns Child Care Center, Inwood
• Gan Shalom Nursery School/Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore
• Garden City Community Church Nursery School, Garden City
• Rosa Lee Young Child Care Center, Rockville Centre

The following outdoor classrooms are being built on Long Island – Check out their progress and plans!

• Bicycle Path School, Selden
• Circulo de La Hispanidad: Evergreen Charter School, Hempstead
• Daly School, Port Washington
• Eisenhower Park, East Meadow
• Hempstead Plains, Garden City
• Nassau BOCES Environmental Education Center, Brookville
• Play Groups School, East Setauket 
• Sands Point Preserve, Sands Point
• Seatuck Environmental Center, Islip
• Shinnecock Nation Early Learning Center, Southampton
• Southold Head Start, Southold
• Tackapausha Preserve, Seaford
• Westbury Friends School, Westbury
• UNAYO, North Amityville
• Unity Drive School, Centereach
   

Interested in creating an outdoor classroom? LINCK offers comprehensive planning, support and design services that bring institutions from idea to implementation to launch of your outdoor classroom. Click here to find out more.