Spanish for Fun Academy, in Chapel Hill North Carolina, is a Spanish immersion childcare center serving the Orange County community.

The center began with a space containing old structures in disrepair and, with significant community support, created a beautiful high quality space in less than a year. Their five-foot primary pathway is actually a wooden boardwalk that weaves between red maple trees. Children are fascinated with the sound of their trike wheels on the wood planks as they cruise from one setting to another.

Some of the community-built improvements at Spanish for Fun include a tunnel, a fossil find, sand play, a “contemporary” playhouse, a play kitchen, and a dedicated gardening space.

This center is an example of determination and community support, raising additional money and using donated labor to build almost all of the components of their best practice outdoor learning environment. Children engaged with planting and installing plant protection rails to become young stewards of the environment. On a daily basis, they water and explore new vegetation, making sure not to step on sensitive young plants. The Spanish for Fun staff is on board with using the outdoors as a learning opportunity and their investment in this project will to expand the children’s experiences with nature.