design
A comprehensive, color-photo-illustrated guidebook to creating living schoolyards. Case studies from North America, Scandinavia, Japan, and Great Britain demonstrate natural outdoor teaching environments that support hand-on learning in ways that nurture healthy imagination and socialization. Read more
Coop Ecology provides the essential design features for those wishing to start a school based on cooperative and ecological principles. Though out of print, this is a PDF version for free. It has been used by dozens of place-based schools since its publication almost twenty years ago. Read more
This spring, the World Forum Foundation's Global Collaborative OnDesign and Nature Action Collaborative for Children will be hosting the first-ever Working Forum on Design and Nature: Designing Inspiring and Effective Spaces for Children. Read more
Most children’s playgrounds are metal, plastic, concrete and devoid of nature. These guidelines show how to create a new type of nature play and learning area with trees, shrubs, flowers, and natural materials so that children and families can experience and appreciate wildlife and nature at every place they use in every community. Read more
Michelle Mathis/Learning Landscapes
New guidelines define nature play places; explain how to plan, design, and manage them; and explore ways to bring them to children and families in every community. Read more
Photo by Nature Explore
Join architects, landscape architects, planners, educators, environmental educators, funders, and elected officials in a first-of-its kind event to explore high-level universal principles in designing effective spaces for children. Read more
Loose parts stimulate creative play, and nature is one of the best sources for low-cost, high-value loose parts. Read more
