School should be a safe and pleasant environment for everyone. Yet bullying regularly occurs, both in the classroom and in the schoolyard. Research shows that children on a fully paved schoolyard display much more competitive behaviour and argue more often. These are playgrounds where there is little else to do besides, for example, playing football, and where children become bored more quickly. This more readily leads to bullying, and some children are more likely to be excluded from the group.
Room to roam
On a high-quality, green and healthy playground, which still has some paving for that game of football, there is something for everyone. Children argue much less and work together better. They can climb together, wander along paths or take a look in a vegetable garden. Teachers and parents also tell us that after creating a green playground, they hardly see any arguments at all. They themselves are more relaxed while the children are having fun.
Moreover, a nature-rich schoolyard is simply healthier. The way children move is more varied, which is good for their motor skills, and it is much cooler there on summer days.
Neighbourhood play area
A nature-rich schoolyard is also a wonderful asset to the neighbourhood. Many children grow up in heavily paved areas where they have hardly any space to play outdoors. Green schoolyards that are accessible outside school hours are oases where children can play with friends and parents can relax.