THIRD APPLICANT
APPLICANT NAME:
APPLICANT MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
APPLICANT LPS EMAIL ADDRESS:
SECOND APPLICANT
APPLICANT NAME:
APPLICANT MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
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ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS?
No Additional Applicants
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL EMAIL ADDRESS:
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL FULL NAME:
Katie Caughron
APPLICANT SCHOOL NAME:
Brockland Learning Center
APPLICANT LPS EMAIL ADDRESS:
APPLICANT MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
5805834700
APPLICANT NAME:
Kim Wickham
APPLICANT INFORMATION
APPLICATION SUBMISSION DATE & TIME:
September 1, 2026 at 9:42:13 AM
APPLICATION CURRENT STATUS:
Developmentally Appropriate Outdoor Learning & Play Project
NAVIGATION
GRANT APPLICATION: DETAILS
FOURTH APPLICANT
APPLICANT NAME:
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PROPOSAL INFORMATION
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The objective of this project is to create a developmentally appropriate outdoor learning and play space specifically for our new three-year-old student program. As our youngest students transition into a new school building, it is important that they have access to outdoor equipment that is appropriate for their age, size, developmental abilities, and learning needs. For three-year-old students, play is an essential part of learning. Outdoor play provides opportunities to strengthen gross-motor skills, improve balance and coordination, develop independence, build confidence, practice communication, and learn how to interact appropriately with peers. Our students need a playground environment where they can safely practice these emerging skills on equipment designed with younger children in mind.
The primary piece of equipment requested through this grant is the Step2 Naturally Playful Adventure Lodge Play Center with Glider. This multi-activity play structure is designed for young children and provides several different types of play within one structure, including climbing, sliding, swinging, cooperative play, imaginative play, and ball activities. Materials Needed Step2 Naturally Playful Adventure Lodge Play Center with Glider The play center includes: Two-story play clubhouse, Slide, Stairs and climbing opportunities, Rope ladder, Two individual swings, Two-child glider, Steering wheel for imaginative play, Basketball backboard/hoop Lower-level play area, Ground anchors, and assembly hardware.
Methods/How It Will Be Used
1. Gross-Motor Development- Students will use the climbing, sliding, swinging, and movement components of the playground to strengthen large muscle groups and practice important gross-motor skills. Activities such as climbing stairs, navigating the ladder, sliding, and swinging encourage balance, coordination, body awareness, motor planning, and physical endurance.
2. Social-Emotional Development- The playground will naturally create opportunities for students to practice waiting, taking turns, sharing space, and interacting with classmates. Teachers will model and reinforce skills such as “my turn,” “your turn,” waiting appropriately, asking a friend to play, and helping others.
3. Communication and Language Development- Outdoor play provides meaningful opportunities for students to communicate. Teachers can incorporate functional language and vocabulary such as go, stop, up, down, push, swing, slide, help, more, turn, wait, fast, and slow. Students with emerging communication skills can practice requesting activities and communicating their wants and needs in a highly motivating environment.
4. Imaginative and Cooperative Play- The clubhouse and steering-wheel areas will encourage pretend and imaginative play. Students can engage in simple dramatic-play experiences while learning to play beside and eventually with their peers. Teachers can expand these experiences by modeling pretend-play scenarios and encouraging students to communicate and cooperate with classmates.
5. Classroom to Playground Learning- The playground will become an extension of our classroom rather than simply a recess area. Teachers can incorporate colors, counting, positional concepts, following directions, movement activities, and simple games into outdoor play. For example, students may be asked to climb three steps, find a particular color, follow a two-step direction, count while waiting for a turn, or identify concepts such as up/down, over/under, fast/slow, and in/out. Most importantly, this project will provide our new three-year-old students with an outdoor space where they can successfully participate at their developmental level while building skills that will support their success throughout their school experience.
PLEASE DESCRIBE HOW YOU WILL DETERMINE IF THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE ACHIEVED SUCCESSFULLY:
Objective 1: Students will improve gross-motor skills.
Measure: Teacher observation checklist documenting student participation in climbing, stairs, sliding, swinging, balance, and other gross motor activities.
Result: By the end of 12 weeks of consistent playground use, at least 70% of students will demonstrate increased independence in at least three gross-motor playground activities compared with baseline observations.
Objective 2: Students will increase appropriate peer interaction and turn-taking.
Measure: Teacher observation data during structured and unstructured outdoor play, including waiting, sharing equipment, taking turns, and participating alongside peers.
Result: By the end of one semester, at least 70% of students will demonstrate appropriate turn-taking or shared play with peers during playground activities with decreased adult prompting compared with baseline data.
Objective 3: Students will increase functional communication during play.
Measure: Teacher observations of students independently or with prompting requesting preferred playground activities, asking for assistance, indicating “more,” communicating “stop/go,” or using other functional words, signs, gestures, pictures, or communication systems.
Result: Within one semester, at least 80% of students will demonstrate an increase in functional communication attempts during outdoor play compared with baseline observations.
Objective 4: Students will demonstrate increased independence and confidence during outdoor play.
Measure: Teacher checklist measuring the level of adult assistance needed to enter the playground, select an activity, navigate developmentally appropriate equipment, transition between activities, and return to the classroom.
Result: By the end of the school year, at least 80% of students will demonstrate increased independence in outdoor routines and playground participation compared with beginning of year baseline data.
PROVIDE A SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF YOUR PROPOSED PROJECT:
Phase 1 – Preparation and Installation
* Purchase the developmentally appropriate playground equipment.
*Coordinate with school and district personnel regarding approved placement and installation. Assemble and secure equipment according to manufacturer and district requirements.
* Establish playground expectations, supervision procedures, and visual supports as needed.
*Baseline observations of students' gross-motor, communication, social, and independence skills.
Phase 2 – Introduction and Teaching Weeks 1–2 of Student Use
*Introduce playground areas and equipment individually or in small groups.
* Model safe and appropriate use of each area. Teach basic playground expectations.
*Practice waiting, turn-taking, requesting, stopping, and transitioning.
*Provide additional adult support as students become familiar with the new equipment.
Phase 3 – Regular Implementation Weeks 3–12
* Incorporate the equipment into regularly scheduled outdoor play.
*Provide both structured and child-led play opportunities.
*Embed communication, social-emotional, academic, and motor learning opportunities into playground activities.
*Collect teacher observation data on student participation and independence.
*Adjust visual supports and teaching strategies according to individual student needs.
Phase 4 – Midyear Evaluation End of First Semester
* Review student gross motor development.
*Review communication and peer interaction data.
*Compare student independence with baseline observations.
*Identify areas requiring additional instruction or support.
*Share successful strategies with classroom staff and other educators serving young children.
Phase 5 – Continued Implementation Second Semester
* Continue regular use of the playground equipment.
* Increase opportunities for cooperative and imaginative play.
*Encourage greater independence and reduce adult prompting when appropriate. Incorporate additional academic concepts and communication opportunities into outdoor activities.
Phase 6 – Final Evaluation End of School Year
* Complete final student observation checklists.
*Compare beginning, middle, and end-of-year data.
*Evaluate student progress in gross-motor skills, communication, social interaction, and independence.
*Prepare a brief summary demonstrating the impact of developmentally appropriate outdoor equipment on student growth.
PROJECT FUNDING
GRANT AMOUNT REQUESTED:
$1747.98
PROVIDE AN ITEMIZED BUDGET FOR YOUR REQUESTED GRANT AMOUNT:
IF YOUR GRANT REQUEST CAN ONLY BE PARTIALLY FUNDED, WOULD YOU ACCEPT:
YES