Our outdoor classroom is finally complete! Miss Alexa and Miss Megan have worked hard to bring ART to this space. Check out our transformation below!
We had clear requirements for our new outdoor space. It needed to be a creative play space for young children, a classroom space for older children, and a comfortable space for adults to enjoy. And it needed to reflect the Orange Easel style!
Here are some of the important parts of the patio and how they evolved:
Here are some of the important parts of the patio and how they evolved:
Easel Wall
One of the first additions was 25 feet of plexi-glass that span the back fence. We drilled holes and secured a series of bulldog clips to hold paper, but most of the time, we'll paint right on the wall!
 On the plexi-glass, we hung recycled aluminum cans (spray painted orange) using curled wires. These cans can hold paint, water, and brushes. |  These sheets of plexi-glass were hung with zipties; we chose plexi-glass because it wouldn't block the view of the greenery behind our building. |
Sandbox
 The sandbox is made from a large galvanized feed trough that needed some sanding and cleaning.  The top is fashioned for a single piece of wood that have been sealed for outdoor use. Miss Allison used watercolors to paint some feather art on the top. |  We filled it with ten bags of play sand...that's over 5 cubic feet! |
The sandbox doubles as a "coffee table" when it's all closed up. (The rug is from IKEA.)
Table and chairs
Our "table" is made from a large wooden spool that we found at the Habitat Re-Store. The chairs were an auction find. We love the orange detailing on the chairs!
 Miss Megan sanded and painted the chairs a light, cool grey. |  MIss Alexa sanded the spool (it needed A LOT of sanding!) and stained it a dark color to contrast the chairs. |
Teacher's Storage Cabinets
We knew we needed storage outside for all the teacher's materials. Miss Alexa found this cabinet at the Habitat ReStore (on our third trip down there). All it needed was a good coat of weather proofing!
Our cabinet and hutch has PLENTY of storage. Plus, it give us a place to keep a small trash can and to hang a clock. Next to the storage cabinet is our 55 gallon rain barrel that serves as our water source for the patio.
Bench
An old door, a counter top, some properly placed cinder blocks, and some pretty pillows and we've got a cozy and colorful bench!
Wash basin
 We found this cast iron sink on the Liberty Swap Shop and then the perfect gardening table to fit it. Although the sink isn't plumbed with running water, we can fill it and use it was a wash basin. |  |
See our outdoor classroom in action:
We hosted a free art event on the patio to christen the new space! Check out our gallery of photos from that event [here]
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