Playground & Outdoor Classroom

During the 2021-22 school year, Breakthrough is working to build a natural playground and outdoor classroom on the grounds of our newly constructed campus in Takoma.

Our playground is an extension of our classrooms and will uphold the same Montessori values of independence, exploration, and self-guided discovery. We envision a playground that encourages children to play creatively; to explore their strength, flexibility and agility; and to interact with the natural world. We’re converting the driveway and loading dock into a beautiful outdoor space for our students and community to interact with their natural environment. The space will include: 

  • Boulder & Log Scramble

  • Indigenous pollinator gardens

  • Insect Hotel

  • Outdoor Musical Instruments

  • Sand/Water area

  • Conical Building Frame (log fort)

  • Multi-level climber

We will dedicate the playground to the memory of Jacqueline (Jackie) Cossentino (1964-2019). Together with her husband Keith Whitescarver, Jackie founded Breakthrough Montessori in 2015. Jackie dedicated her career to advancing public Montessori education for all children and families. Her commitment to Breakthrough Montessori and our mission was unwavering. Learn more about Jackie's legacy and tireless advocacy of public Montessori here.

(Click to view enlarged image)

During the 2019-20 school year, a committee of Breakthrough parents collaborated with Early Space to design our playground. Here is why parents support our natural playground design: 

“We were drawn to open-ended play structures like sand pits and boulder scrambles which allow children to play in different ways with the same environment…. These areas of the playground will allow for independent exploration and encourage cooperative play and problem-solving as there isn’t just one way to use or be in the space.”

Mandy W

“Natural play spaces are so important for children’s mental and physical health, as well as their creativity and freedom. When nature is incorporated into a play space, there are opportunities for real world learning: birds, butterflies, and ants visit, wood and other natural materials change over time and eventually decompose, etc.  Being in nature and around natural materials has been shown to significantly reduce stress, increase focus and ability to pay attention, and inspire creative thinking and problem solving.”

Rebecca H

 

Help Us Break Through to the Outdoors!

With your support, we can provide even more hands-on learning experiences for all of our students.

This year, we’re embarking on a campaign to break through to the outdoors, and we need your help.

To create our natural playground and outdoor classroom, Breakthrough needs to raise $270,000. Fortunately, we’ve already secured about half of this amount. We need the help of our community to raise $150,000 to complete the project.

Will you help us break through to the outdoors by making a gift today?