An exciting flying fox, more playground equipment, an asphalted MBX/mountain bike track and the surface of a new outdoor court have all opened during a very busy first half of this academic year at expanding Montessori School Bali.
Physical expression is an important element of the Montessori curriculum. Students are encouraged to always listen to their bodies and move them as needed, both inside and outside the classroom.
Montessori School Bali’s outdoor plastic-free playgrounds, one for preschool children and a separate one for primary, are designed for children to challenge themselves and take risks while also having fun. The equipment provides opportunities for children to develop physical strength, coordination, socialisation and exploration.
“Challenging children to stretch their physical limits allows them to discover what they are capable of, inspiring the development of healthy self-confidence,” says Montessori School Bali principal Jan Gaffney, an educator with more than three decades of Montessori experience. Jan selected the pieces used in the playground based on many years of hearing from children what they like.
The newest pieces of equipment are for the Primary playground: a thrilling flying fox that zips down one whole side of the playground, plus a hexagonal tyre-swing structure that allows children the potential to connect and socialise while also developing balance, strength and coordination. These are in addition to monkey bars at two heights plus a huge climbing jungle gym made of recycled ulin, all under shade cloth.
The Preschool playground features monkey bars, a tower with swings and slide, tyres for balancing and old tree trunks arranged for scrambling over.
“Our playgrounds have been a labour of love for everyone involved. Everything was thought through, from the sourcing of sustainable wood to the exact way the pieces would be used,” says Jan.
A natural partner to the playground is the newly asphalted BMX/mountain bike track at the school, designed and built by parent Lucas Cavanagh. The sprawling, challenging track has been used in after-school activities and the school’s Adolescent Programme students learned how to “get some air” on the track during Term One.
“It’s obvious the students are learning valuable life skills such as taking calculated risks and increased coordination and awareness,” Lucas says. “Naturally, they’re going to fall off sometimes when they are progressing, but the resilience they’ve built up over time here has significantly improved the way they react.”
Last but not least, the school has laid the surface of an outdoor court that is set to be used for sports such as basketball, handball and skipping.
The court was also a useful hard surface during the school’s third biannual Twilight Market in November, which saw close to 1,500 people from our local community in attendance. One of the objectives of this event, organised by the school’s Parent and Teacher Association, is to allow the public to use and see the school’s facilities for a social and convivial evening.
If you’re interested in learning more about Montessori School Bali, we are holding an information afternoon for our Lower Primary programme aimed at children aged six to nine (or Grade One to Three) on Wednesday, February 5 at 3:30pm. This one-hour session will cover how children transition from Preschool to Primary and what the Montessori Lower Primary curriculum covers. Please email contact@montessoribali.com to RSVP if you would like to attend.
The MSB three-year Adolescent Programme (Grade Seven to Nine) is actively seeking enrolments from 12- and 13-year-olds at the moment. The school will hold an information evening about this programme on Thursday, February 6 at 6:00pm. Please email contact@montessoribali.com to RSVP if you would like to attend. (This term, for their physical expression unit, our AP students are being coached in cricket by Andy Cottam, the national Indonesian team’s coach!)
* Montessori School Bali accepts enrolments year-round. Email : contact@montessoribali.com or
WhatsApp : +62 812 8500 4579
To make an appointment for an observation.
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