Global Lessons on Greening School Grounds and Outdoor Learning
Belgium | City of Antwerp, EcoHouse
Antwerp’s green schoolyard program began in 2010 with a pilot school supported by the local Flemish government. The success of the pilot project prompted the creation of new policies and widespread support to continue greening school grounds throughout the rest of Belgium. Today, the City of Antwerp supports greening school grounds through financial and technical assistance. Schools can apply to receive funding from the Climate Fund for climate resilient interventions in school grounds like de-paving, adding green stormwater infrastructure and planting vegetation. Greening school grounds is also included as a strategy in the city’s climate plan for 2020-2030. The new schoolyards are rich in nature and exhibit features that support various types of play — a benefit that aligns with the city’s broader goals to make Antwerp a child-friendly city filled with play opportunities in all neighborhoods.
Find more global case studies at schoolgroundgreening.org.
“Children who can play on such a great playground will feel better, they will develop better, they will discover their talents. Because here you can explore, experiment, learn what you are good at and sometimes in a different way than in the classroom,” says Liesbet Van Houtte, EcoSchools Consultant, City of Antwerp.
Key Aspects of the Case Study
- Child-centered. Antwerp’s greening school grounds program is part of a broader multi pronged strategy focused on creating child-friendly neighborhoods filled with many opportunities for play.
- Community-driven. The community of parents, students, and teachers is involved in the design and upkeep of the new green spaces, creating a shared sense of ownership.
- Policy-focused. Antwerp has made a concerted effort to integrate school ground greening as a climate adaptation strategy into their respective urban planning policies, including the Climate Plan 2030.
A key requirement of the program is to co-create the new schoolyard with input and support from the community. Schools inform, consult and involve every shareholder throughout the entire process. In many cases, stakeholders build their new schoolyards together, working with teachers, pupils and parents, under the coordination of a professional. The schools are also open to the community outside of school hours.
Photo: Frederik Beyens
Photo: Frederik Beyens
Photo: Frederik Beyens
Photo: Frederik Beyens
Photo: Frederik Beyens
Photo: Frederik Beyens
Photo: Frederik Beyens
“We really feel that the children much prefer to play here [on the nature playground] than on a traditional playground,” says Odile, an DeBever elementary school teacher in Antwerp. “We also notice that their health is improving because there is much more space to walk and loop around in circles so a lot of hide-and-seek games are played here, encouraging you to exercise more and engage in more meaningful play.”
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