We are creating a place of curiosity, of exploration, of beauty — a place where children can run outside, play, and explore the fields. A place where getting messy is not just acceptable, but encouraged. A place where students develop a passion for the Earth and understand the power they hold to preserve it for generations to come.
Enhance Focus and Cognition
Children need to learn in a place of light and beauty, and that’s what we’ve designed for them at North Tampa Christian Academy. Researchers at the University of Colorado concluded that proximity to nature, outdoor views, and daily exposure to natural settings increases focus and enhances cognitive abilities. A study through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign concentrated on how nature affected children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They discovered that a child’s focus improved after taking a 20-minute walk in the park as compared to walks in other settings.
We believe nature should be an essential, joyful part of daily learning. With our large glass windows, classrooms that open to the outdoors, and 43 acres of beautiful woods and trails, our bright, airy, environmentally-friendly campus brings the outdoors in and the indoors out.
Creativity and Problem Solving
According to social ecologist Stephen Kellert, children engage in more creative forms of play when in green areas. The Nature Explore Classroom in Minnesota reinforced this with their discovery that a well-designed environment filled with natural materials supports creative play. Children exercise their freedom to choose what, how, and where to play with the materials.
We’ve partnered with the revolutionaries at Nature Explore to apply research-based, field-tested design principles to create natural, nature-inspired playgrounds. The playgrounds for our little ones, ages 2-4 and grades K-2, are developmentally appropriate and filled with trails, art, digging, and mud.
Reduce Stress and Increase Health
Research shows that the more children go outside and play in nature, the more their problems with attention, health, and anxiety are reduced. According to researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, natural areas can feel calming, offer a refuge from stress, and build confidence. Another study published in the International Journal of Obesity found outdoor education can be a key factor in avoiding childhood obesity.
Our buildings are equipped with DaVinci labs. These creative spaces have doors that open to the outside and extended roofs that encourage students to explore in rain or shine; there are plenty of tools and crafts, and no one minds if you get paint on the floor.
Every space is designed to be flexible, learning-oriented, and integrate with the natural environment. Between our terraces, gardens, shaded reading areas, nature trails, and playfields, students remain connected to nature and develop their passion for the world.
At North Tampa Christian Academy, a private school in Wesley Chapel, the faculty, staff, and families work as a team. Our service-oriented approach builds Christian leaders who think deeply, choose wisely, create beauty, and use their dreams to solve problems. Want to learn more about what makes us different? Contact us today.