Outdoor education is an essential part of the GESS curriculum. Our teachers design age-appropriate learning that connects students to nature and the real world. Students have the freedom to explore endless learning opportunities in nature, fostering the development of their physical, cognitive, and social skills.
Outdoor Education at GESS
Why we focus on outdoor education:
The outdoors and nature are an extension of the GESS classroom and the perfect counterbalance to the 21st-century digital world.
A treat for the child’s inherently curious mind
We believe young children are inherently curious. When this curiosity meets the outdoors, they experience multisensorial learning as they observe ecosystems, biodiversity, animal behaviours, and more. They have the chance to explore independently and make sense of their learning in a real-world context.
Age-appropriate risk-taking and improved physical skills
Forest hikes, adventure camps, and similar activities encourage students to venture out of their comfort zones and try age-appropriate challenges that strengthen them physically and mentally. Students come away feeling more empowered and confident.
Improved Cognition
When learning outdoors, students receive stimulus from a dynamic environment filled with exciting possibilities. They become more focused, attentive to the surroundings, and engage with the environment creatively. This promotes cognitive development.
Social Skills and Teamwork
Our outdoor activities foster social cohesion and teamwork as students collaborate, support one another, and work as a team to solve problems and achieve shared goals.
Outdoor Learning in Preschool
Outdoor Learning in Primary School
Other Excursions in Primary School
Outdoor Learning in Preschool
- Outdoor Education Unit:
As part of this unit, our preschool students take class trips to nature reserves, forests, and parks for inquiry-based learning on topics that they discuss in the classroom. This ranges from observing and studying weather patterns, plant species, and native animals to other natural occurrences.
- Daily Outdoor Play and Outdoor Education Activities:
Daily scheduled play in the Outdoor Learning Centre on our preschool campus. Students undertake gardening activities, waterplay, sandplay, and more for a multisensorial learning experience.
Outdoor Learning in Primary School
The outdoor learning experiences vary across grade levels and align with the units of inquiry that students investigate in class.
Grade 1
- Singapore Zoo
- Singapore Bird Park
- Community Walk
Grade 2
- River Walk
- Visit to Nature Parks
Grade 3
- Bedok Forest Adventure
- Dairy Farm Loop
- Botanic Gardens
- Bukit Timak Park
- Farm Visit to Bollywood Veggies
- Overnight Camp at the Singapore Zoo
Grade 4
- Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
- Pulau Ubin
- Botanic Gardens
- Dairy Farm Nature Reserve
- Singapore Night Safari
- 2-Night Adventure Camp in Singapore
Grade 5
- Gardens by the Bay
- 3-Night Adventure Camp in Malaysia
Other Excursions in Primary School
Apart from outdoor education, students also regularly go on excursions that provide experiential learning and cultural immersion. These include trips to museums, science centres, historical sites, cultural institutions, exhibitions, and more.
Grade 1: Science Centre and Philatelic Museum
Grade 2: Attending plays, historical sites, National Gallery, Singapore Art Museums, ceramics workshop at Singapore Dragon Kiln, and Science Centre
Grade 3: Science Centre and participation in bike safe riding programme
Grade 4: Water Park, Cinema Experience, Little India, Chinatown, and Kampong Glam
Grade 5: PYP Exhibition visit to other schools, Volocopter Visit, and Science Centre
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