Physical Education
The overall objective of the Physical Education program is to provide students with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to make active living a way of life. Cooperation, fair play, sportsmanship, communication, and respect are emphasized in all forms of our activities and sports.
Approach
Every year, we begin with Cooperative Games and Problem Solving Activities. In these activities, the group confronts a specific scenario or problem to solve (a sinking ship to escape, a poisonous or toxic swamp to cross, an electric fence to get over, or a minefield to get a blindfolded partner through safely). The focus of these activities is fostering cooperation, encouraging strategic and supportive dialogue, listening to a different opinion than your own, and having fun at the same time. Some groups spend just a few classes on cooperative activities, while others spend a lot more time and do a wider variety of them. This depends on what each group needs and how well they are working together. The activities also develop collaboration, communication, cooperation, respect, teamwork, and problem solving skills — all skills necessary for the success of any physical activity, game, or sport that involves more than one person.
Miquon Day Camp`s summer season has officially come to an end ☀️🌲
Our campers are heading back into school season with sun-kissed faces, tired feet, and full hearts. What a great summer it was!
Making a Splash 🏊♂️: Confidence bloomed in the pool during swim lessons (let`s hear it for those big water achievements!).
Game Time 🏀⚽: Campers gave it their all on the field, tried new activities, and practiced those oh-so-important teamwork skills.
Nature Explorers 🍃: Everyone got a little muddy, discovered new critters in the creek and around the rain gardens, and spent LOTS of time outside.
To our incredible campers, dedicated counselors, and supportive families—thank you for bringing the magic, the laughs, and the endless energy every single day. Camp is so special because of you!
Drop your favorite camp memory in the comments below. 👇💬
PS. If you want to keep the magic going year round, contact our school admissions team to learn more about The Miquon School.
#CampLife #SummerCamp #CampMemories #UntilNextSummer #KeepMoving #CampMagic #OutdoorFun
The Meadow Nursery students were so excited for a brand new swing set in their playspace last spring! The swings quickly became a favorite addition to their outdoor play, and the children practiced taking turns and pumping their legs to help push themselves higher.
Now we know why the swing went to school...to hang out with friends!
#progressiveeducation #miquonschool #outdoorclassroom #phillyareapreschools #phillyareaschools #independentschool
Planting roots, growing leaders. 🌳✨
At Miquon, we believe in honoring the magic of childhood by giving students the time and space to play, explore, and find their voices.
We also believe in the power of those voices to create real, lasting change.
When the Classes of 2026 and 2027 noticed changes to our campus landscape, they didn’t just observe—they acted. Driven by a deep love for their community, they asked how they could help guide the future of our outdoor spaces. That curiosity blossomed into the Students of Miquon Environmental Action Committee (SMEAC), which has since evolved into a powerful Student Council.
As a living legacy of their leadership, a beautiful sycamore tree now stands tall on the Woodchip Field. This tree will now serve as a reminder that when you give children the space to ask “How can we help?”, they will always find a way to make the world—and their community—a little better.
The students chose this tree for its beautiful appearance, moderate growth rate, disease resistance, and general sturdiness. A sycamores can live 400+ years, and is also a host plant for western tiger swallowtail butterflies and imperial moths, among others.
We are so proud of these students for modeling the very qualities we hope every Miquon graduate carries forward: stewardship, curiosity, and the courage to lead.
Here’s to the legacy they’ve planted and the bright future they’re helping to cultivate. 💚
#MiquonSchool #StudentLeadership #EnvironmentalStewardship #PlantingTheFuture #ElementaryEducation #StudentVoice #CampusLegacy #MiquonPride #GrowingLeaders #OutdoorClassroom
At Miquon, our beautiful campus is more than just a place to learn; it’s a thriving, living ecosystem. We believe that teaching environmental stewardship starts right under our feet, and teach children daily to care for themselves, each other, and the environment.
From creekwood hollow to the bamboo forest, we share our home with some incredible campus residents. On any given day, you might spot:
🐞 The Helpers: Ladybugs keep our rain gardens pest-free. 📷 @fabio_erdos
🐸 The Pond Patrol: Frogs and toads sing near our pond.
🐛 The Transformers: Caterpillars prepare for their big glow-up (also spotted on occasion: the breathtaking Luna moth! 🟢✨).
🦎 The Hidden Gems: Salamanders and crayfish hide under cool, damp logs.
🦝 The Night Shift: Curious raccoons and possums keep an eye on things after the bell rings.
By preserving natural habitats, investing in our trees and rain gardens, and teaching our students to tread lightly with respect for all creatures, we aren`t just caring for our environment—we are raising the next generation of conservationists.
#miquonschool #progressiveeducation #independentschools #outdoorclassrooms #phillyindependentschools #learningoutdoors #learningoutside #phillyfamilies #foreveramiquonkid
Pure joy in the palm of their hands. 🥹🎓
There is nothing quite like the look on our 6th graders` faces when they see their custom diplomas for the first time!
These beautiful pieces are hand-crafted by artist Leila Sawyer - @sawyer.leila - and filled with personal, heartfelt words from our teachers about the graduates and their time at Miquon. Swipe to see the exact moment when gratitude and delight took over! 👉✨
Thank you to Leila and our amazing faculty for sending our graduates off with these one-of-a-kind treasures.
#MiquonGraduation #CustomArt #StudentVoices #PhillySchools #ProgressiveEd #MeaningfulTraditions #ClassOf2026
🎓✨ There wasn’t a dry eye in the house! Earlier this summer, our incredible 6th graders took the stage to deliver their graduation speeches in front of the larger community.
Hearing them share their favorite Miquon experiences—from classroom discoveries to outdoor adventures—was a beautiful reminder of what makes this place so special. We are immensely proud of who they have become, the leadership they’ve shown, and the unique marks they’ve left on our community.
Congratulations to our graduates! We can’t wait to see the ways you’ll change the world next. 🌲❤️
Thank you as well to the 5th graders for adding your talents on recorder to the event. We look forward to celebrating with you next June.
#MiquonGraduation #ProgressiveEducation #ClassOf2026 #MiquonSchool #IndependentSchool #GrowingLeaders #NurturingCuriosity
3 Days, 2 Nights, and a Whole Year in the Making! 🌲🎒
See a glimpse of the second end-of-year 5/6 trip! As a reminder, our 5th and 6th graders wrapped up their unforgettable End-of-Year Big Experiences (EOYBE) trips in May. These trips were the culmination of a full year of fundraising and a busy spring of student planning.
Both classes spent three days away from campus, putting their teamwork to the test, braving the elements, and making memories to last a lifetime. Here’s a peek into where their hard work took them:
Part 2: Team South Mountain Camp: Archery, Marshmallows, & Community Building
The second group headed to YMCA South Mountain Camp (@smymcacamps) for an adventure-filled celebration. From rock climbing and swimming to mini-golf and archery, the energy was high from start to finish.
Community in Action: The kids stepped up big time as "Hoppers," taking turns setting tables, preparing plates, and cleaning up after meals.
Sweet Endings: Nights were spent around the campfire, roasting marshmallows and singing beloved songs music teacher Diego taught them during Sing. These evening moments were a beautiful way to honor the final EOYBE for some of the group, and the first EOYBE for the other half.
#smymcacamps #miquonschool #progressiveschool #ProgressiveEducation #fieldtrip #ExperientialLearning #independentschools
🌲🧗♂️ Big Adventures, Deep Connections: Celebrating Our 5/6 End-of-Year Big Experiences! ⛺️🥞
Our 5th and 6th graders wrapped up their highly anticipated End-of-Year Big Experience (EOYBE) trips in May! Both groups spent 3 days and 2 nights away from campus, braving the elements, building independence, and creating memories to last a lifetime.
Part 1: Team Harriman State Park: Rain, Ridgetops, & Rattlesnakes
Our first group loaded up the cars and headed up to Harriman State Park in New York, showing incredible resilience and keeping the giggles going even through a sheet of summer rain!
Gourmet Camp Crew: The students did the heavy lifting on meals! They whipped up pancakes and fresh fruit; "walking tacos"; and trail lunches.
Exploring the Wild: Days were packed with kayaking, spotting juvenile Eastern Newts (Red Efts), and fishing in Breakneck Pond. Stefan led a crew up Panther Mountain for a stunning 862-foot elevation hike with views all the way to NYC.
An Unexpected Guest: A nighttime game of "Base" had to be cut short when a chaperone spotted a real-life timber rattlesnake! The group safely shifted gears to s`mores by the lake and an early bedtime.
The Sweet Ride Home: The crew wrapped up the magical trip with a stop at Peddler’s Village for a gazebo lunch and ice cream before heading back to Miquon.
Stay tuned for Part 2!
#progressiveschool #miquoninourhearts #ProgressiveEducation #independentschools #fieldtrip #ExperientialLearning #phillyareaschools
🏙️🍲 Our future is in good hands.
In early June, our 3rd and 4th graders hosted our City of the Future Exhibition and Potluck—the culmination of an incredible year of exploration in Theme. Seeing our community come together to share a meal and witness the children`s proud, glowing faces as they presented their work was such a lovely culminating moment in our school year.
Weeks of rigorous, student-led work lay behind each final project:
✍️ Writing: Students put their persuasive writing skills to the test, revising and editing pieces that blended researched facts with powerful, emotional calls to action. Their collective goal was to preserve or restore a part of Philadelphia for the future, and their letters, speeches, and essays powerfully demanded action!
🛠️ Building: Constructing miniature models to showcase their ideas required meticulous planning, careful material choices, deep collaboration, and plenty of engineering trial-and-error!
Thank you to everyone who came out to support our young urban planners. We hope you enjoyed seeing the final result of all their learning, planning, writing, and building as much as we did!
#ProgressiveEducation #IndependentSchools #HandsOnLearning #experientiallearning #phillyareaschools #themiquonschool #phillyindependentschools
After the initial Cooperation and Problem Solving unit, we move onto eye-hand coordination skills and activities that combine the eye-hand coordination skills with cooperation. From there, activities that are in line with the Society of Health and Physical Educators National Standards Scope and Sequence are introduced to students as part of a larger lesson plan. For example, if the students are working on throwing at targets, we usually teach the skill cues first (e.g., jumping jack, muscle man, point, step, throw, follow through). Next, the children practice individually, throwing at targets (paper plates on walls or various objects to throw at). Then, we play a partnered game (“p-i-g” or “t-i-g-e-r” or whatever they decide) which is followed by a larger or whole group game.
PE Blog
Want to learn more about the latest happenings in Miquon’s Physical Education program? Check out pictures and teacher commentary posted to the PE Blog.
Curriculum Report
The curriculum report is the teachers’ review of the entire year, looking back and making observations after their plans, projects, problems, and revelations are long over. One of the distinguishing features of this report is the great extent to which each teacher’s style, focus, and personality come through in this retrospective narrative. Check out the PE Curriculum Report.
