PlayCore has joined forces with the Children & Nature Network to raise awareness and help scale the implementation of green schoolyards. Studies have proven that children’s exposure to nature is beneficial in a variety of meaningful ways. Collectively, this body of research shows that children’s academic, social, psychological, cognitive, and physical health is positively impacted when they have daily exposure to nature.
Since students spend most of their weekday hours in school, greening schoolyards is a vital and logical step to support children's’ overall health and well-being. The Children & Nature Network defines green schoolyards as multi-functional school grounds designed for and by the school community that offer places for students, teachers, parents, and community members to play, learn, explore, and grow. During out-of-school time, these schoolyards are ideally open to the community to use. A green schoolyard can include outdoor classrooms, gardens, traditional play equipment, nature play areas, trails, trees, and more.
To support a collective vision that, “all communities have access to green schoolyards to enhance children’s healthy development, community well-being and positive environmental impacts,” PlayCore and the Children & Nature Network will conduct a national survey as the first step in supporting communities across the U.S. in developing their own green schoolyard programs. To take part in the survey, please send your email address, name, agency/company, and title to info@playcore.com. You can also sign on to help advance the national Green Schoolyards Action Agenda, endorsed by the Children & Nature Network, PlayCore and dozens of green schoolyards leaders. In addition, you'll find tools and resources for greening school grounds in the Children & Nature Network's Green Schoolyards Resource Hub.
