Breakout sessions Monday April 22

On Monday April 22, you can choose from the following breakout sessions:

Series 1 / 13u30 - 14u15 

Presentation 11:

11.a Outdoor adventurous or risky play at schools: Exploring teachers’ and parents’ views and attitudes - Alexia Sabbe, Vives University of Applied Sciences, Belgium

Although schools are often reluctant, engaging in risky play in natural environments positively influences children’s concentration and learning ability. Gaining insights into the obstacles is paramount to refute these barriers and encourage more risky play.

At the end of this presentation, you will be able to identify the added value of adventurous play for children's development and learning opportunities. You will have insights into ways to move beyond these obstacles as well as examples on how to incorporate risky play in outdoor lessons.

11.b Beneficial Risk - Anna Ekblad, Naturskolan i Lund, Sweden

“Since the world is full of risks, children need to learn to recognize and respond to them in order to protect themselves and to develop their own risk-assessment capabilities.” Risk in Play and Learning: Ubud-Höör Declaration, International School Grounds Alliance.

The session will show how to deal with risks and danger among children and why we need to help them to be able to take care of themselves in their daily lives. We will look at how we can help both adults, and children and young people, to understand the difference between risk and danger.

Presentation 12: Outdoor learning: conditions for quality learning - Thomas Remerie, Artevelde University of applied Sciences, Belgium

In the VRIJPLAATS learning lab, we aim for transformative learning, urging students to actively engage with the world. While the value of outdoor learning is acknowledged, discussions often overlook the quality of it. To address this gap, we advocate for a shift toward inquiry-based learning instead of traditional, time-bound lessons. The objectives include understanding, evaluating, and designing high-quality outdoor learning activities that contribute to meaningful learning and associated goals. You will gain insights and inspiration to create impactful outdoor learning experiences.

Presentation 13: Fighting for climate-friendly schoolyard design in Germany; practical experiences of an NGO - Maren Haase, Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V., Germany

We will discuss the current schoolyard landscape in Germany starting at design regulations and key success factors for climate-adapted schoolyards. Continuing by highlighting the challenges and chances for biodiverse schoolyards, we will conclude by presenting projects from our experience of supporting over 80 German schools in rethinking their construction.

At the end, you will be familiar with NaturErlebnisRäume, have an overview of key success factors and know best practices of real implementations at schools in Germany.

Presentation 14: Expanding schoolyard forests in the United States to protect children from the impacts of climate change - Sharon Gamson Danks, Green Schoolyards America, USA

The Schoolyard Forest System℠ aims to create climate oases, combat inequities, and promote resilience through schoolyard forests across the US, starting in California.

At the end of this workshop, you will know more about The Schoolyard Forest System℠, the existing challenges and opportunities, and available resources to help school districts transform their grounds to improve children’s health and learning, while enhancing environmental and climate resilience.

Presentation 15: 

15a The Greening Schoolyard Assessment Tool: a design tool to help stakeholders with creating schoolyards that optimally stimulate children’s development, biodiversity and climate change resilience – Jolanda Maas & Nicole van den Bogerd, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

In recent years, a growing number of schoolyards in the Netherlands have turned into green schoolyards. What we see, however, is that the design of many of the "green" schoolyards is not up to par. Several schools, for example, choose artificial grass and wooden play elements and then call their schoolyard a green schoolyard. This shows that the philosophy behind greening the schoolyards is not well understood by everybody. Therefore, we designed the Green Schoolyard Evaluation Tool (GSET) together with experts (gardeners, schools, landscape designers and scientists). The GSET-tool aims to stimulate stakeholders around green schoolyards to create schoolyards that contribute optimally to children's development, biodiversity and climate resilience. The background and making of the tool will be discussed.

15b The Living Classroom: Facilitation and Design of Outdoor Learning Spaces in SW Ireland - Cathy Eastman, Biodiversity Partners, Ireland

Ecological assessment and facilitation are used to plan, design and implement vibrant educational outdoor learning spaces that enhance biodiversity and connect local ecosystems and the learners who use them. This presentation will give an insight into the experiences in working in schools and communities in Co. Kerry, Ireland.

You will gain insight into ecological assessment and educational planning approaches and learn about practical ways in order to get inspired to create your own outdoor Living Classroom.

Presentation 16: 

16a/b Municipalities with a mission: the similarities and differences between 5 Dutch municipalities with the ambition to create green school grounds.  

a: Experiences of the municipalities - Marlies Bouman, Jantje Beton, The Netherlands

b: Experiences of the schools and neighbourhoods - Ian Mostert, IVN, The Netherlands

This workshop addresses the nationwide goal of greening all schoolgrounds in the Netherlands in collaboration with Jantje Beton and IVN. Highlighting the mission to foster outdoor play and nature immersion for children, the session shares insights from 5 municipalities, each with their own vision, approach, obstacles and opportunities for creating green(blue) schoolgrounds. In the second part, the experiences of some schools within these municipalities are shared, focussing on how to include the community (parents, neighbours, teachers) for a shared dream of nurturing children in a playful and natural environment.

16c California: Land of Yosemite and Asphalt - Lisa Howard, Bay Tree Design, USA

California, known for awe inspiring nature, is dotted with asphalt playgrounds. A green schoolyard movement has taken hold that has provided thousands of children with access to the benefits of natural playgrounds. Lisa Howard will highlight these changes and identify key elements required to make successful change at a site level.

You will get a summary of the challenges that thwarted progressive change in California and you will hear about the steps taken to ensure that the proposed changes are embraced by the adults and benefit the students and ecology once they are built.

Presentation 17:

17a Five years of greening in Limburg: facts, figures and lessons learned - Johan Lambrix, Provinciaal Natuurcentrum, Belgium

A grey playground is really outdated, isn't it? As Provinciaal Natuurcentrum Limburg, we think connection is very important. Connecting people and nature, but also people with people and nature with nature. For more than 30 years, we have been working to improve children's and young people's contact with nature.  Our main focus is on experiencing nature and learning in, from and with nature (nature-based learning). We do this because we firmly believe that this is an important starting point for developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be able to take care of nature, and thus ourselves. Now and in later life. In this session, we present how we have started using the greening of school grounds as a very valuable tool to work towards this objective. At the end of the session, you will know where we are now and what we have learned.

17b A system of school greening support by MOS coaches - Karel Coenen, MOS/Provinciaal Natuurcentrum Belgium

MOS has been a programme of the Flemish government and provinces for more than 20 years. Locally anchored, MOS coaches guide individual teachers and school teams to implement education for sustainable development. We empower beginners and pioneers. We follow up and give new impulses. We supervise the process. For instance, in school greening, we start with the team's vision: the why (not) for this school, this team. We raise awareness about the importance of and possibilities for participation: from pupils, parents to the municipal authorities. We train teachers around the educational use of that school greenery, with a particular focus on peer learning.

17c Biodiversity as an essential part of school greening - Katrien Hendrickx and Joris Verhees, Provinciaal Natuurcentrum, Belgium

Greening school grounds in Limburg focuses on biodiversity in addition to learning green and play-green. Therefore, within the Provinciaal Natuurcentrum, MOS staff work together with several biodiversity officers. As soon as a school expresses the wish to apply for a greening subsidy, they draw up a biodiversity recommendation in which they outline the added value that the school domain can bring to its natural environment after targeted greening.

In a short presentation, we zoom in on how they give the schools general ideas around design in function of plant and animal species. Also for rare, sometimes even endangered species, we will show, using one or more examples, how the school can act as a stepping stone within a nature link.

Presentation 18: 

18a Network ‘Speelplaats met Toekomst’ – Playground with Future - Gorik Van Helleputte, MOS, Belgium

The 'Playground with Future' Network will be introduced, outlining its vision and role in society. Focused on promoting green playgrounds and biodiversity, we aim to transform uninspiring urban playgrounds into vibrant, shared spaces. The network, born from the 'Playgrounds' focus group, evolved after completing the guidance process for the Flemish Government's subsidy call. With a commitment to collaboration, expertise exchange, and policy influence, we seek to provide ongoing support to schools in creating quality, dynamic play environments.

18b Springzaad – network - Katrijn Gijsel, Springzaad, Belgium

Springzaad.be is an inclusive network dedicated to expanding natural spaces for children. Advocating for free play in natural environments, we emphasize wonder, tranquillity, fantasy play, challenge, and contact with nature as crucial for child development. Springzaad supports the creation of natural play and learning areas in parks, schools, daycare centres, and play forests. Bringing together diverse professionals and stakeholders, we organize site visits, workshops, and symposiums. The website offers a play nature map and an extensive literature list. Established in 2001 in the Netherlands, Springzaad has been an independent organization since 2013.

18c Loose parts play with natural materials - Amke Bailleul, Speelmakers, Belgium

Series 2 / 14u45 - 15u30 

Presentation 21: Adventurous green play environments and safety standards, a (mis)match? - Koenraad De Maertelaere, The European competence center of playground professionals, Belgium

We discuss the complex relationship between safety standards and adventurous green play environments as we reveal how to use standards without negatively impacting children's play (learning) experience.

You will gain insight into the above and with this understanding, you can confidently engage with those opposed to risky play, emphasizing that standards aim to ensure safety while preserving freedom and educational value. Encouraging an appreciation for risk in children's play, you contribute to fostering balanced and challenging play environments.

Round table 22: Green school playground as subject for outdoor education - Tom Gorré, province of Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium and Asa Wennström, Learning Garden Design, Sweden

Although the importance and benefits of outdoor education are already more acknowledged, it often remains limited to learning outside. We will highlight good practices and ways to implement experiential and investigative learning in and from a green environment addressing subjects that the green playground itself offers.

At the end of this workshop, you will have ideas on how to implement experiential and investigative learning which enables you to create a platform for ongoing exchange of ideas between countries and schools.

CANCELLED - Presentation 23: School greening projects – Results and experiences - Anna Leonard, Goodplanet, Belgium

GoodPlanet Belgium has a rich history of enhancing green spaces for children, primarily focusing on schoolgrounds. The presentation will share insights from various projects, emphasizing the impactful "Ose le vert" campaign, which has greened over 400 primary schools in Wallonia since 2016. Three key objectives include biodiversity increase, improved conviviality, and fostering a reconnection to nature. The discussion will highlight results and experiences from various projects will be shared. Ongoing projects will be introduced, along with practical tools and support resources.

Presentation 24: An Choill Bheag – Greening school grounds by growing native, biodiverse habitats for people and wildlife - Rachel Geary, Learning about Forests/Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce, Ireland

An Choill Bheag (AnCB) means ‘The Little Woodlands’ in the Irish Language, i.e. small, biodiverse native woodland planted on school grounds providing space for outdoor education, recreation, Citizen Science, biodiversity, and climate action. It acts as vital ecological corridors that connect and increase local diversity.

You will understand it’s benefits for people and wildlife, learn more about the possible adaptations to different situations and how to deal with challenges. We conclude with collaboration and our future plans.

Round table 25: Participation as a key to sustainable biodiversity on green schoolgrounds - Joris Verhees and Katrien Hendrickx, Provinciaal Natuurcentrum, Belgium

A green schoolground has many benefits to the school and the development of the pupils but it can be equally beneficial for nature and biodiversity. To optimise this interaction, a good, practical approach is indispensable.

During this interactive experience exchange, we will start with a tangible greening case. This case will include the involvement of pupils and others during the phases of design, construction, maintenance and monitoring of biodiversity. How can you assure that this process adds value for school and nature? What opportunities and pitfalls do you encounter? Guided by a moderator, participants will look for solutions to make greening a sustainable success for biodiversity too.

Round table 26: Greening School Grounds + Outdoor Learning: Building A Global Movement - Brenda Kessler, Children & Nature Network, USA

There is growing momentum worldwide to scale school ground greening as a sensible and thoughtful approach to increase climate resilience, enhance biodiversity, improve health and education outcomes, and strengthen communities, especially for those most impacted by systems of inequity and environmental injustices.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the Greening School Grounds & Nature-Based Education project, how our current work engages global leaders and practitioners to build networks and identify and deliver scalable strategies to support school ground greening worldwide. Case studies from around the world will be presented and an interactive discussion on how to scale the movement will follow. Participants will learn about resources to successfully design, implement, evaluate and maintain green school grounds and other nature-based and place-based outdoor learning environments for early childhood, elementary and secondary education students.

Round table 27: Unrest in your classroom? Is learning to relax in nature the solution? - Elke Hermans, Yoehee, Belgium

We will address some questions and discuss some propositions to tackle the different problems, such as learning disabilities, concentration and behavioural problems children suffer from these days. We will look more critically at the relationship between stimulating the cognitive part in education and teaching self-care to children by using the natural outdoor space. We will bring up if and how self-confidence can be worked on and how this can be placed in education.

Presentation 28:

28a Stimulate Nature Connectedness in Flemish Schools - Victor Bruynseels and Gorik Van Helleputte, Duurzaam Educatiepunt and MOS, Belgium

You will be introduced to what the government of Flanders is doing to support schools in greening their playgrounds and getting involved educationally (Grants, MOS programme with support, research and innovation and pilot projects). We will promote networking between partners both nationally and internationally. We see it as an opportunity to gather input from (inter)national participants on pilot projects, future research needs and to further optimise our approach.

28b B@SEBALL - Biodiversity at School Environments Benefits for ALL - Wenke Smets, UAntwerpen/MOS, Belgium

B@SEBALL is a research initiative exploring the positive impact of biodiversity in school environments on children's health and mental well-being, particularly through the connection with microbiome diversity.

By the end of the presentation, you will grasp the significance of the B@SEBALL project and comprehend how it can be applied. This knowledge equips teachers, parents, school managers, and playground advisors to optimize playground greening for improved child health and focus.

Outside Workshop 29: Soil education Nature school in Lund - Anna Ekblad, Naturskolan i Lund, Sweden

During the workshop, you will do some outdoor activities to examine what soil is. With the help of your senses, you get acquainted with some of the organisms that live there and we will discuss why this microlife is crucial for all life on Earth. In order to depict what the planet's surface consists of and how large the arable area is, some visuals will be showed.

After this, the session continues with a dive into the complexity and challenges of present and future land use and food production.