University of Hull selected for high-profile programme connecting children to nature and community

The University of Hull is delighted to announce it will be at the forefront of an innovative new programme aimed at connecting children to nature and their community.

Underpinned by the University’s School of Education’s well-established expertise in Forest School and outdoor learning approaches, the University has been chosen as a pilot for Playful Green Planet – a landmark programme from the RSA, (Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), a social impact charity in collaboration with the Eden Project and Bath Spa University.

Playful Green Planet, aims to bridge the significant gap in children’s connection to nature, especially in marginalised or disadvantaged areas, by creating ecologically thriving outdoor play spaces and learning environments. The project aims to transform how children connect with nature and community through outdoor creative play. It responds to the current sizeable gap in children’s connection to nature, particularly in cities and urban areas.

The project is the first of its kind in the UK and will identify areas of land in urban and economically disadvantaged areas, drawing on the expertise and talents of local individuals, coalitions and communities to transform those spaces into ecologically thriving outdoor play spaces and learning environments that foster children’s knowledge, confidence and engagement in the natural environments.

Currently research suggests that more than one in ten children do not visit a natural environment annually, four out of five lack a connection to nature at all, and three-quarters of children spend less time outdoors than is recommended for prison inmates. Playful Green Planet seeks to reverse this trend, starting with pilot sites in Hull and Dundee, inspired by the Forest of Imagination and mini Edens.

In Hull, the transformation will be led by leading experts from the University of Hull’s School of Education, Dr Isobel Reagan, Dr Lee Fallin and Dr Jo Traunter. Their goal is to support young children's learning through the creation of ‘environments of inquiry’ across the University’s green sites on campus and the University Botanic Gardens in Cottingham, drawing on a strong network of pupils, teachers, schools and local authorities.

Dr Jo Traunter, Senior Lecturer in Education and Early Childhood, said: “This project is a fantastic opportunity for children and families in Hull to connect with nature in our green spaces. It also highlights the University’s expertise in this area of education. Our aim is to foster meaningful interactions with nature, translating into research that will transform how we work with children and families in green spaces.”

Dr Isobel Reagan, Lecturer in Education and Childhood Studies, said: “We will be working with our partners in Hull and East Riding including children’s services, local academy chains, children’s charities, and the NHS trust. Students will additionally be involved, ensuring the continuation of Playful Green Planet’s work in schools and settings across the region, This will ensure that the green spaces and experiences are co-created with local children as well as social and environmental experts is key to this project.”

The ambitious project will be supported by the Eden Project who will bring its extensive experience in developing nature-based spaces and activities for children. Together, they will co-design these spaces with local communities, enhancing biodiversity, accessibility, and community engagement.

The first phase of this project will aim to reach 2000 children after the first year, with a view to expanding this reach to 200,000 in five years as the initiative secures partnerships for more sites around the country, working in partnership with the charity Land Trust.

Alan Carter, Chief Executive at the Land Trust, said: “This pilot study has the potential to be a game changer, and it’s all the more exciting to be working on plans with the project partners at this early stage to implement the learnings coming forward from this pilot.

“We’re committed to helping create a world where children and young adults know and value the environment around them, enjoy accessing the many benefits which they can receive from it, and in turn work to protect and enhance it.”

Joanna Choukeir, Director of Design and Innovation at the RSA, said: “We are so excited to begin work on Playful Green Planet and are enormously grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for the support to make this work happen.

“With our partners in Hull, we want to equip a generation of young leaders with the confidence and capabilities to connect with, care for, and regenerate people, places and planet.”

Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, said: "We are delighted to work with the RSA on this landmark project which puts nature at the heart of a radical new approach to education.

“Playful Green Planet will start by transforming locations in Dundee and Hull, creating thriving outdoor classrooms to reach those children left behind my traditional education routes. We look forward to seeing this go from strength to strength in the years ahead.”

Playful Green Planet is a pillar of the RSA’s Design for Life mission: to enable people, place and planet to flourish in harmony, and to create a world where everyone can fulfil their potential and contribute to a more resilient, rebalanced and regenerative future.