Playing With Life: Ways of Fostering Environmental Education in the Early Years (original) (raw)

This paper discusses the importance of environmental education for young children. In particular, it examines the imperative of ensuring opportunities for outdoor play and the development and enhancement of appropriate play spaces for children, in order for them to learn the necessary attitudes and values, knowledge and actions needed to become 'stewards of the earth'. It also looks at a number of projects, in childcare settings and in schools, where parents, teachers and the wider community are working together, with and for children, to envision and implement healthy and sustainable social and physical environments. The concepts of 'health promoting schools' and 'learnscaping' will be examined.