A new outdoor space focused on nature-based learning is the newest addition to the 98118 ZIP code in Southeast Seattle’s Othello Square, one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the United States.
The Tiny Tots Development Center opened the first-of-its-kind outdoor classroom just before the start of the new 2022-2023 school year, funded by grants from Seattle Children’s and the PNC Foundation. The new open-air teaching space features trees, raised garden beds, natural bench seating, and hands-on activities that promote sensory-focused learning, and is part of a larger urban renewal effort in a historically underserved area with limited natural spaces.
More than 80 preschool children between the ages of 4 weeks and 6 years old will be utilizing the unique classroom in small groups, fostering experiences that enable exploration and creativity while helping reduce stress, promote critical thinking, and improve cardiovascular fitness and vitamin D levels.
It’s a welcome addition to Othello Square’s mixed-use building that is also home to Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC), which provides whole-patient care including medical, dental, behavioral health, nutrition services and more to families – making it easier to get any kind of care they need in one location.
“Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic has been dedicated to supporting our community for over five decades,” said Dr. Kenisha Campbell, OBCC’s medical director in a press release. “We are proud to introduce this new addition to Othello Square and continue transforming the health of children for generations to come.”
Watch the video of Tiny Tots Outdoor Classroom ribbon cutting and opening
Resources
- Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC) – Seattle Children’s (seattlechildrens.org)
- About Us | Tiny Tots Development Center (tinytotsdc.org)
- Meet the Medical Directors of Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic: Dr. Campbell (seattlechildrens.org)
- Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC) Othello Opens its Doors in South Seattle – On the Pulse (seattlechildrens.org)
