We believe in the power of outdoor classrooms and nature-based education. Few things spark joy in our children like the experience of being outdoors, in nature, where they can develop creativity and hone their powers of observation in the ever-changing landscape. The BPO has already helped create a native species, pollinator friendly garden at the Runkle School, and we believe that together we can build green schoolyards with spaces for children to watch, listen, learn, and wonder.
Green Schoolyards Offer Physical and Mental Health Benefits for Children
Research presented at the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition finds that green schoolyards bring families and communities together in a healthy environment. For this study, researchers summarized the peer-reviewed scientific literature documenting green schoolyard benefits to ...
A New Declaration States that Risk-Taking is Essential for Kids’ Development
A new declaration from the International School Grounds Alliance (ISGA) states that, while promoting risk-taking on school grounds may raise questions of liability for schools and concerns for parents, it is essential for the development of healthy young people. The ...
Social and Emotional Health Are Important Benefits of School Gardens
While the academic benefits of school gardens for students have become more widely accepted in recent years, the social and emotional benefits are often overlooked. Yet, numerous studies of school gardens show improvements in students’ feelings of well-being and therefore, ...
Green Schoolyard Transformation in Boston
Between 1995 and 2013, the Boston Schoolyard Initiative (BSI) transformed Boston's schoolyards from barren asphalt lots into dynamic centers for recreation, learning and community life. School-by-school, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, BSI reached children, families, community members and teachers with vibrant outdoor spaces for ...
GIS analysis of urban schoolyard landcover in three U.S. cities
Schoolyards are dominated by turf grass and impervious surface Increasingly, research is demonstrating the benefits that green space can provide to children’s health and well-being and to environmental quality (e.g., reduced urban runoff and moderation of climate). Children spend about ...
Green schoolyards as havens from stress and resources for resilience in childhood and adolescence
Natural schoolyards decrease stress, strengthen attention, reduce behavior problems, and enhance factors associated with resilience in children of all ages Research on stress, resilience, and benefits of contact with nature in children has historically been conducted in separate disciplines: medicine, clinical ...