OUTDOOR CLASSROOM DAY
Percussion Play’s Duo in action at Ashbridge Independent School & Nursery
20% increase in sales of outdoor musical instruments to schools
To celebrate Outdoor Classroom Day on November 3rd, Percussion Play reveals that it has seen an increase of 20% in sales of its outdoor musical instruments to schools across the UK, compared to 2021.
Classrooms diversified during the Covid-19 pandemic with many teachers moving lessons outside but now many have realised the benefits an outdoor education has on children.
By combining both music and the ‘great outdoors’, Percussion Play believes its instruments can help create fun and laughter and help to facilitate learning.
An independent school and nursery based in Preston have taken an innovative approach to teaching by installing a variety of outdoor musical instruments on its grounds.
Pupils of Ashbridge Independent School & Nursery, which has an ethos based on learning in the great outdoors, are now creating music, both in play and learning. The forest school’s pupils, aged between 0-11 years old, take music lessons using the instruments as well as enjoy them with peers during recreation.
The school uses the new outdoor music area across the curriculum, with students using and exploring music to find natural connections to mathematics, science, reading, writing, and performing arts.
Principal Graf comments on the impact the instruments have had on her students; “If I have to sum up the impact in one word, it would be inquisitive. Watching the children play, then figure out how the instrument works gives me a huge sense of pride. We’ve also seen a decrease in disciplinary issues since we had the instruments installed, I think mainly because it keeps the kids busy learning in recess when they don’t even know that they’re still learning! The instruments are beneficial to both our students and teachers!”
Percussion Play is the world-leading manufacturer of outdoor musical instruments and is seeing an ever-increasing interest in their inclusive outdoor instruments, with record sales this year.
Percussion Play’s musical instruments can support a child’s musical education and encourages both individual and group participation, particularly instruments such as the Duo that can help encourage children with learning difficulties to play music together.
Percussion Play has created a range of beautiful outdoor musical instruments which are played across the world in schools, libraries, parks, hospitals and senior living communities. From the popular Calypso Chimes to the Harmony Flowers., Percussion Play’s instruments are designed to bring people together to create uplifting music.
The Jubilee Park at Ashbridge Independent School & Nursery
Many of the pupils are keen musicians and the school has a dedicated music teacher however they had no way of bringing music to their outdoor surroundings until they recently installed a range of instruments from Percussion Play.
Percussion Play is the world-leading manufacturer of outdoor musical instruments and is seeing an ever-increasing interest in their inclusive outdoor instruments, with record sales this year.
Percussion Play’s musical instruments can support a child’s musical education and encourages both individual and group participation, particularly instruments such as the Duo that can help encourage children with learning difficulties to play music together.
In the UK researchers have found that children who have been educated in music performance or appreciation score 63 points higher in verbal skills and 44 points higher in maths skills in SATs tests.
Percussion Play has created a range of beautiful outdoor musical instruments which are played across the world in schools, libraries, parks, hospitals and senior living communities. From the popular Calypso Chimes to the Harmony Flowers., Percussion Play’s instruments are designed to bring people together to create uplifting music.
Jody Ashfield, Founder and CEO of Percussion Play said: “Each year we support Outdoor Classroom Day and each year we find more and more schools in the UK are embracing music in the great outdoors. Our increase in sales to schools shows how outdoor classrooms are being embraced by educators in nurseries and schools. As world leaders in the manufacturing of outdoor musical instruments we aim to champion learning and playing music outdoors and encourage pupils to get outside and create music”.
You can read more research on the benefits of outdoor music in education settings here.