Make your school kid-friendly with outdoor spaces

One of the things that strikes me as I visit different schools is that the grounds outside the school can make the school seem inviting or not. Bringing nature to the playground and other areas can make such a difference. When I see kid-friendly art added to the gardens and other landscaping it makes me feel like this is a school that I want to spend time in.

Education Outside in San Francisco has done a wonderful job greening playgrounds there.Their video “Grey to Green” is a must-see for anyone interested in greening outdoor spaces at schools: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvYCmoBCwsg

This week I visited Beverly Park Elementary School in the Highline School District south of Seattle. While they didn’t have a vegetable garden they had an amazing courtyard with murals of classic kids books. What a great hang out place! What can you do to make your school more inviting?