Growing Together: Open Forum

 View Only
Back to discussions
Expand all | Collapse all

Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

  • 1.  Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-18-2022 07:50:00 PM
    I'm writing a grant to purchase all-weather picnic tables for our school and garden area. One of the questions is to "Look for best practices producing strong outcomes elsewhere and introduce them as a pioneering practice locally."

    Do any of you have examples of this? Or a research reference?

    Thanks, Linda



    ------------------------------
    Linda Hulen
    Bowman Elementary School
    Anchorage AK
    907 2501837
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-19-2022 08:40:00 AM
    Hi Linda! Hoping you get the grant!!! Just clarifying the examples that are needed - do you need best practices/research that shows the benefits of school gardens and outdoor classrooms generally or do you need examples specific to outdoor seating?

    ------------------------------
    Amelia Dupuis
    Kids Garden Community Manager
    KidsGardening
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-19-2022 08:50:00 AM
    Amelia, both would be good, but the grant is for outdoor seating, picnic tables specifically.
    Thanks, Linda 

    Sent from my iPhone



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-20-2022 09:53:00 AM
    If you haven't checked out Green Schoolyards America, that could be a great place to start! They have some case studies in the "Resources" section and also sprinkled throughout the different pages. There's even a page on outdoor seating (maybe the related resources at the end of that page could be helpful?).

    ------------------------------
    Amelia Dupuis
    Kids Garden Community Manager
    KidsGardening
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-20-2022 10:58:00 AM
    Thanks so much. I'll check it out.

    Sent from my iPhone



    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-19-2022 03:20:00 PM
    Not sure about best practices exactly, but we purchased these at the end of last year and have been very happy with them! They allow for a lot of flexibility so that students and teachers can use them in whatever configuration they need.

     

    https://www.competitiveedgeproducts.com/Lifetime-Convertible-Table--60054-Picnic-Table-and-Bench_p_1499.html



    ------------------------------
    Patricia Nicoll
    Saint Mary's Hall
    SAN ANTONIO TX
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-19-2022 03:36:00 PM
    Patricia =-- These surely appear to be versatile! And less expensive compared to the metal tables we're considering. We're located in Anchorage Alaska so the winters are long and cold. I'm wondering how the hardware used in changing the orientation from bench to table would work. Would it hold up? Any ideas from your use so far?

    Thanks!
    Linda



    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-19-2022 05:56:00 PM
    I'm in San Antonio, TX so it is hard for me to comment on cold weather durability.  The mechanism does seem very well made however. I will try to take a closer look at it, but I believe the mechanism is metal.

    ------------------------------
    Patricia Nicoll
    Saint Mary's Hall
    SAN ANTONIO TX
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-21-2022 11:48:00 AM

    Linda,
    We have these same tables/benches from Lifetime and we're very happy with them. We bought them through Amazon last year so they went through an Illinois winter with no problems (snow, ice, below zero, etc.) We have 8 of them and we love that we can change the seating from bench to table. I used to live in Tok, AK so I'm familiar with Anchorage's weather--I think it's similar enough to Illinois to be comparable.

    Good luck!

    Beth
    Beth Duttlinger
    Lillie M. Evans Library District
    Princeville, IL 



    ------------------------------
    Beth Duttlinger
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Best practices/outcomes...outdoor seating

    Posted 09-21-2022 03:30:00 PM
    Thanks so much Beth. It does sound like they might work for Alaska. I'm just worried about the freeze/thaw cycle that hits each winter multiple times with water getting in the mechanisms and freezing, rusting, etc.

    Think I'll get in touch with the Lifetime folks and see what they have to say. I did see that there was a 2-year warranty, so will see what that covers. Bottom line is perhaps the only way to know is to try one!

    We're looking at 46" square coated metal tables with attached benches from Southwest Market Products. Quite a bit more expensive in initial cost and shipping.

    Thanks again so much for responding and passing on your positive experience.
    Linda



    Original Message


Related Content