Out And About!
Pupils Experience Outdoor Education at Riverbank
One of the big initiatives at Riverbank this session has been outdoor education and we have been lucky enough to have help from a number of people to help us develop our Outdoor Education programme. Grace Banks has been a visitor to Riverbank on several occasions and has helped the children understand about the wide range of outdoor learning opportunities which are right on their doorsteps.
The children have learned quite a bit about the history of the area when exploring in and around Seaton Park and the Brig o’ Balgownie. They found out that the Wallace Tower or Benholm’s Lodge used to be situated in the centre of town. (And, no this writer does not remember it being built, originally. There are some cheeky people around!) They found out about the special shape of the Brig o’ Balgownie and why there are metal rings built into the walls of the Brig. The children were shown how to whittle, which it seems was very therapeutic, and how to build a shelter from basic materials. The arboretum at the Cruickshank Gardens was another popular place to visit. You can find out lots about the different trees which grow there. Grace showed them some mushrooms and, of course, she talked about being careful when picking mushrooms, berries and so on. Even in the school courtyard the children found out about plants and insects without having to move far from their classroom.
We hope that this is just the beginning of something big in Riverbank’s Outdoor Education Adventures. By the looks on the faces, the pupils really enjoy being out and about!!!