Outdoor education in pre-schools represents an indispensable educational strategy complementary to indoor education, based more on direct contact with the environment and its phenomena. The partnership, consisting of 7 organisations from 4 EU countries (Sweden, Italy, Latvia and Cyprus), believes there is a need to rethink and improve the pedagogical use of outdoor spaces of pre-schools in order to promote children's learning. In this light the general objective of the 3-year-project is to enhance pre-school quality by developing and enhancing knowledge about the design and planning of stimulating outdoor environments. The Specific Objectives of the project are: 1. To improve the quality of children’s learning through innovative outdoor learning environment 2. To improve pre-school teacher’s skills and strategies about outdoor activities 3. To design innovative outdoor learning spaces by bringing together expertise from different fields The main expected results will be the development of innovative outdoor learning spaces designed and tested with the support of experts from other fields than education (architects, landscape designers, science educators) and improved pre-school teachers’ skills pertaining the planning and implementation of outdoor activities. The partnership consists of 3 local authorities and respective pre-schools (SE, IT), 1 municipal pre-school (LV), a transnational network of local and regional authorities (IT), a research centre (CY) and a University (SE). The project activities include 6 transnational project meetings and 3 training seminars aimed at supporting the production of three main products of the project: Two models of outdoor learning spaces in pre-schools, a guide for the development and valorisation of outdoor spaces and an Online Training module on outdoor activities for teachers based on the content of the guide. Such products will be disseminated in the four countries of the partnership towards the key target groups of the project: Pre-schools managers and municipal decision-makers, pre-school teachers, researchers, families, Professionals from other fields and children attending pre-schools.
There is a long tradition of using the outdoor environment for play and learning in Early Childhood Education. But in an increasingly urbanised world, outdoor spaces available for children’s play and learning are diminishing. The access to safe outdoor environments surrounding the preschools are also under pressure when cities are becoming denser. It will therefore be important to develop and increase knowledge about design and planning for building stimulating outdoor environments. Environments that will support children's opportunities for teaching and learning. Through clearer teaching environments in preschools, a clearer control of the teacher's approach and how they carry out qualitative teaching outdoors is also directed. This was the basis for the project's goals. In this light the general objective of this 3-year-project was to enhance pre-schools quality by developing and enhancing knowledge about the design and planning of stimulating outdoor environments. The three specific objectives of the project was to improve the quality of children’s learning through innovative outdoor learning environment, to improve pre-school teacher’s skills and strategies about outdoor activities and to design innovative outdoor learning spaces by bringing together expertise from different fields. The partnership consisted of seven organisations from four EU countries (Sweden, Italy, Latvia and Cyprus), all considered that there was a need to rethink and improve the pedagogical use of outdoor spaces of pre-schools in order to promote children's learning.The partnership has been represented by four municipal authorities with identified respective preschools, Sweden, Italy and Latvia. A transnational network of local and regional authorities, SERN. A research centre, CARDET on Cyprus and Linköpings University in Sweden. The project developed an innovative outdoor learning space designed and tested with the support of experts from other fields than education, such as architects, landscape designers and science educators. This together with teachers in participating organization who conducted tests and developed Best Practice. The work of developing the different models and the guide has led to improvement of pre-school teachers’ skills pertaining the planning and implementation of outdoor activities. Based on current research and curriculas, an idea concept was created for the outdoor environment and the preschool's design and content. It is designed to support children's learning and development within the curriculum's goals. The knowledge and results have been gathered on the project's website and are available to everyone. The project activities included six transnational project meetings and two training seminars aimed at supporting the production of the main products of the project, two models of outdoor learning spaces in pre-schools, a guide for the development and valorisation of outdoor spaces and an Online Training module on outdoor activities for teachers based on the content of the guide. Results of the project have been disseminated in all countries of the partnership, theese aktivities have mainly been aimed at identified key target groups. Pre-school teachers, pre-schools managers and municipal decision-makers, researchers, students, professionals from other fields and of course children attending pre-schools.