Green Schoolyards: Natural playgrounds are Physical Education

Room: 209/210
Time: 10:30am – 11:30am

Greening of schoolyards goes far beyond the opportunity to create cooler outdoor play environments for children in the face of rising temperatures. The introduction of natural materials and nature-based play areas creates opportunities for social, emotional, and physical growth that is equal to, and in many ways, greater than, typical hardscape physical education stations. Tearing out asphalt and replacing hard surfaces with natural materials is a pathway to creating rich spaces for children’s social and emotional development, and to develop outdoor classrooms for studying water, soil, and natural ecological processes.

Learn how Landscape Architects has been working on Los Angeles Unified School District campuses to create green school yards that incorporate low-water native habitat gardens, boulders, logs, shade trees, play structures that utilize natural materials.

Learn how green schoolyard advocacy efforts are complementary to the design work and have helped increase opportunities for greater and richer outdoor environments.

Greening your schoolyard provides numerous advantages for students, including improved mental health, enhanced academic performance, creating more resilient outdoor spaces, increasing biodiversity, and providing hands on learning opportunities for curriculum.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will:

• Explore how outdoor play and physical education are two sides of the same coin.
• Explore how to reduce your carbon footprint and water usage through thoughtful material selection.
• Discover the value of advocacy and design in creating partnerships for great playground spaces. 
• Learn how integrating outdoor play and learning environments can be a win-win for everyone.

Speakers:

Allen Compton, President, SALT Landscape Architects
Robin Mark, Director of Partnerships, SALT Landscape Architects
Marci Raney, Data Insights & Strategic Planning, Sr. Manager, Children’s Hospital LA
Jon Teberg, Director, KOMPAN California, Inc.
Mike Madewell, Manager, Hunter Irrigation

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