Green Schoolyards Toolkit: Let’s Get Started!

Get Started! Implementing Green Schoolyards

The tools and resources compiled below will help cities, school districts, and partners work together to envision and implement district-wide, equity-based, open-access green schoolyards. While many of these tools were created with school district staff in mind, they can be adapted to support communities of all sizes, schools, or local community groups.

Grand Rapids, MI - Plaster Creek & Burton School Green Schoolyards.See virtual tour here:

Austin, TX - photo credit Parks And Recreation Department (PARD). Naturetrail at a green schoolyard in Austin.See virtual tour here:

Austin, TX - photo credit Anne Mueller, Austin ISD parent. Pond at a green schoolyard in Austin. *See virtual tour here:*

Austin, TX - photo credit Laura Newman. Outdoor classroom at a green schoolyard in Austin. Parks and Recreation Department.See virtual tour here:

Oak Park, IL. A shared schoolyard and park site.

Oak Park, IL. Using tree canopy as shade for seating.

Oak Park, IL. Log seating for learning and play.

Oakland, CA. Vegetable bed and outdoor seating area.

Oakland, CA. Trust for Public Land’s concept design for Melrose Leadership Academy.

Chicago, IL. Native gardens, stormwater capture and playground equipment at a Space to Grow schoolyard.

Chicago, IL. Multi-functional schoolyards: native gardens, outdoor classrooms, sports fields, and stormwater capture at a Space to Grow schoolyard.

Chicago, IL. Outdoor seating, native plantings and murals at a Space to Grow schoolyard.

Chicago, IL. A large, butterfly habitat area that also captures stormwater at a Space to Grow schoolyard.

Chicago, IL. Community chosen playground equipment and native planting areas that double as stormwater capture opportunities. Space to Grow.

West Vancouver, BC. Visible stormwater capture and play features.

Toolkit Components

Tell us about your work and help us improve this toolkit at greenschoolyards@childrenandnature.org

Green Schoolyard Case Studies

These case studies help you better understand the wide-range of what green schoolyards can be and the path that others took to get there.

Green Schoolyards Advocacy Toolkit

Still need to convince a few people about the benefits of green schoolyards? These tools and resources will help you confidently “make the case” for green schoolyards, whether the audience is your school board, superintendent, principal, teachers, parents or community members.

Explore the Toolkit

Funding Options

Finding ways to fund green schoolyards involves creative thinking and tapping into a diversity of resources. These links provide ideas, examples, and expertise on options for funding.

Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN) Planning & Action Guides

These are CCCN tools and resources created to help cities identify and execute strategies for equitable nature access. These tools can guide cities in thinking through green schoolyards as a nature access strategy.

Green Schoolyard Photos & Videos

These videos were created by various cities, organizations or community partners across the country to highlight elements, benefits and definitions of green schoolyards while providing visual tours. We’ve also compiled a photo slideshow of green schoolyards from across the country to give a better sense of what a green schoolyard can be and what types of elements they include.

Assessment and Selection Tools

These practical hands-on tools will help cities assess the status of their schoolyards and select criteria to help prioritize schools based on equity. They also help cities map local resources, policies and partners to support Green Schoolyard efforts.

Sign On Today

Help grow the green schoolyard movement. Sign on to pledge your support for a national green schoolyard agenda. Join hundreds of partners working to bring the benefits of green schoolyards to all U.S. communities by 2050.

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