The children play outside at The Antioch School – in autumn’s golden sun and warm wind; on the frozen creeks of winter in Glen Helen; in the springtime puddles. The summer playgrounds belong to mother deer and her babies. Free times are spent on the Cycle Circle Side, the Tire Swing Side or the playfield to the west of the stone wall that Antioch College graciously has loaned to the children.

The Cycle Circle Side holds the clatter of the tricycles, the hum of the roller blades and the quiet passing of the unicycles. The big swings are here and the yellow playhouse built by Kindergarteners now in middle school. The traditional jungle gym stands guard while the children play on tunnel hill. Streams, tunnels and castles occupy sand hill and the hand-over-hand provides both strengthening of the upper body and a place to play a ball game named Over the Top. The east wall of the Nursery is constantly bombarded with tennis balls during Wall Ball.

The children play outside at The Antioch School – all school year long for extended periods of time. The Tire Swing Side is home to the tire swing, the red house, the vintage blue jungle gym, the little swings and the bucking bronco, the teeter-totters, the huge ash tree stump, the stone wall and the narrow strip of woods on top – home to many a hide-out, camp and lunchtime picnic. At the end of a school year, I found a large cache of the children’s buckets and shovels among the bittersweet vines and honeysuckle. I imagined the enchanted play that may have taken place there.

The children play outside at The Antioch School – all school year long for extended periods of time and come inside when the bell rings or at their teacher’s beckon ready to settle into inside work and play. The huge playfield summons the older children for games of sport or cooperation. Nursery picnics and kite-flying take place on a carpet of spring grass and clover. The autumn leaves dance across the field and snow forts protect the snow people during the winter.

I deeply understand how fortunate our children are. For the children – this part of every school day is simply part of childhood and their Antioch School education.

This is a nice school.

I am so thankful for our children, families and friends of the school.  What an extraordinary history this beautiful, little school carries!

This article was written by M.J. Richlen, Antioch School Manager, and printed in the 2014 Active Learners Journal published by The Antioch School.