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All-day K changes playscape

A bit of the beach is brought to new elementary students
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Kindergarten students take advantage of a sunny day in their new natural play area that includes logs

Boys roll the log while girls burl.

Another group of kids plop discs of wood in a series of patterns on the grass. The dirt pile in front of the school has been a volcano and a car race track. The sandbox is always full.

“It looks different every day,” said Kal Russell, principal at Sidney elementary.

The new natural play area right at the front of the school is adjacent to the original play equipment. It includes logs, sand, dirt, and is bound by a raised garden bed perfect for balancing on.

The school found that with all day Kindergarten, recess was a bit daunting for the youngest of their pupils.

“We were really noticing they were looking a little lost out here,” said principal Kal Russell. “We realized we needed to have a place for them to do a little exploratory play and creative play.”

The school garden, created previously by teacher Rita Balaam, appeared the perfect place to create a natural, exploratory play area.

“The project was built and supported by numerous people in the community including several parents, the School District 63 grounds crew and Sidney by the Sea Rotary,” Russell said. A grandparent offered up driftwood to complete the nature scape.