At one point, you only ever saw outdoor classrooms in the most progressive of educational institutions. Many educators believed that a more traditional classroom environment was important for learning. However, recent research seems to suggest the opposite, and today, outdoor classrooms are commonplace.

Both public and private schools have begun to adopt outdoor classroom programs that encourage students to get connected with nature. Childhood development specialists took a closer look at the concept of informal education and found that students who were outside would often remember things much better than those who spent the whole day indoors. Teachers who want to put together an outdoor classroom should keep in mind that everything they use has to be capable of holding up in an outdoor environment. That includes any fabric items.

Making Materials From Outdoor Fabric

Upholstered furniture doesn’t do very well outside. It can get moldy in just a few days, depending on what the local climate is like. Harsh ultraviolet light from the sun can also do a number on any piece of furniture that isn’t made with outdoor use in mind. Educators should invest in durable materials from a commercial outdoor fabric supplier that they can use to cover all of their furniture. They may want to invest in a few bolts they can then cut up to fit over every piece they have.

Bolts of outdoor fabric are also ideal for making tablecloths that can hold up even in inclement weather. Outdoor classrooms that have everyone gather around a single table definitely need a tablecloth. There’s a real risk that school materials could get exposed to humidity or debris without one. Adding awnings or shades made from outdoor fabric is an excellent way to keep students from getting too much sunlight, and in some cases, they can even stop a mild drizzle from putting a damper on the day’s activities.

Students who plan on bringing their books outside with them might want to invest in some outdoor fabric as well, since it can make excellent covers for them. This should help protect them against the same maladies that tablecloths are there to ward off. Enterprising teachers may want to include making jackets for books as part of an outdoor arts and crafts class.

Using Fabric For Crafts

With all of the focus on science and technology education, some pundits feel that the arts are forgotten about. At the same time, health advocates are concerned about a reliance on sedentary learning. Forward-thinking teachers can solve both problems by bringing craft projects outside. Students can be given ample supplies of outdoor fabric to work with, and they may even be able to produce something that the whole class can use.

Life skills such as sewing are often taught as part of a home economics course. Once again, it’s easy to transition these lessons to an outdoor classroom simply by using a style of fabric that’s appropriate for the environment you’re working in. No matter what projects you might choose, there’s at least some kind of outdoor fabric that can make them easier to do under an open sky.