Planning, building and making new spaces is super fun and a great way to engage people. After the build is over, then what? Reasons to activate a space:
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keep it looking good
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let folks know it is there
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let folks know WHAT is in the space
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why is the space unique to that property
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use the space to teach a curriculum
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what cool things can folks learn from the space
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how can the space be used
At nature+play designs, we are just as excited to help you learn how to use the outdoor spaces to promote play, learning and well-being, as we are in helping get the features in the ground. Learn about the different ways we can support you and your team.
Curricula
Tie your outdoor features to curricula goals
School gardens
Engaging students, staff and families with hands on gardens
Play & Enjoy
To support physical activities and wellness
Partner programs
Lots of great ideas to share from other agencies
Ecology
Supporting ecosystem functions for healthy earth and wildlife
Resources
Learn about resources to help learn, grow and enjoy the outdoors
SCHOOL
GARDENS
Garden spaces to meet every need - There are so many great examples of gardens to meet a variety of needs and goals:
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Vegetables- raised beds, ground level beds
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Sensory & tactile - plants to touch, feel, smell, weave and enjoy
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Butterflies - Butterflies and lady bugs are great introductions to children, so adding locally sourced flowering plants attract wildlife
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Local ecosystem habitat - use native plants and materials to replicate native habitat (great for animals in their habitat studies)
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Food forest - teaching kids where their food comes from can be a powerful lesson with easy to grown and maintain plants
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Rock cycle garden - use native rocks/stones to demonstrate the rock cycle (igenious, sedimentary, metamorphic & plant with native rock garden plants)
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Stormwater gardens - capture roof runoff into rain gardens, bioswales or wetland ecosystems
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Experiential / Experimental gardens - create garden spaces that are actively used to test ideas and showcase creativity
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Art gardens - create spaces with frames and display structures to showcase temporary and/or permanent area
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Learning gardens - create features to showcase projects, units and activities for students, such as year-long change of seasons projects, weather observations, seasonal precipitation calculations, etc.
Garden programming - Learn how to use gardens throughout the year to meet curricula, horticultural therapy, social/emotional goals and more:
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Stakeholder meetings - facilitate stakeholder discussions to determine a good fit for your school programming and features on the campus
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Recess based programming- short activities to run at lunch recess to encourage use and exploration of the gardens
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After school clubs - there are several options for after school clubs such as garden, environmental, STEM/STEAM clubs
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Community work parties - scheduled events throughout the year to use and maintain the various garden areas
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Community partners - network to meet partners who may be interested in supporting your garden features (donations, service days, events, etc.)
