(Sustainability, Partnerships, Design, Growth, Infrastructure, and Green Spaces)

🎥Video: NM Outdoor Classrooms Series Session 4 (23:32)

This section focuses on:

Creating Future Designs – Planning and envisioning outdoor learning spaces

What Spaces Can Look Like – Essential components for functionality and accessibility

Making Spaces Sustainable – Ensuring long-term maintenance and usability

Advocating for Outdoor Learning – Empowering students and teachers as leaders

Creating Future Designs

When designing an outdoor learning space—whether enhancing an existing area or building something new—several key elements should be considered:

• Space for movement and collaboration – Large, open areas for activities and community involvement
• Accessibility and inclusion – Designed to accommodate all types of learners
• Multi-disciplinary zones – Designated spaces for different subjects and activities
• Integration with nature – Incorporating trees, native plants, gardens, and water features
• Basic amenities – Access to water, restrooms, and shaded areas
• Indoor-outdoor connections – Creating ways to comfortably extend learning outside year-round

What Spaces Can Look Like

Regardless of scale, outdoor learning spaces should include:

• Water access – Drinking fountains, irrigation, rainwater collection
• Shade – Natural tree cover or structural elements like pergolas
• Greenery – Native trees, flowers, shrubs, and gardens
• Outdoor learning resources – Nearby restrooms, storage, whiteboards
• Defined boundaries – Courtyards, amphitheaters, and movement-friendly layouts
• Accessibility features – Sensory areas, wheelchair paths, braille signage, and adaptable seating
• Seating options – Outdoor benches, standing desks, flexible seating arrangements

Making These Spaces Sustainable

Sustainability is crucial for maintaining outdoor learning spaces, especially when schools are not in session. Strategies include:

• Creating student and teacher action teams – Encouraging leadership and responsibility
• Integrating outdoor learning into daily routines – Ensuring ongoing use and maintenance
• Developing year-round upkeep schedules – Assigning regular maintenance tasks
• Building multidisciplinary-supported spaces – Encouraging cross-subject use
• Partnering with parents and community members – Farmers, 4-H groups, local businesses, and government agencies
• Prioritizing native plants – Low-maintenance options over high-water-use gardens
• Hosting seasonal events and service projects – Keeping engagement high and welcoming community members to help during out-of-school time
• Seeking funding opportunities – Grants and local sponsorships (TOTAL NM can help with this)
• Using sustainable materials – Durable, recycled, and long-lasting fixtures

Advocating for Outdoor Learning

Advocacy plays a key role in sustaining outdoor learning initiatives. Ways to promote and expand these efforts include:

• Student-led projects – Giving students ownership of outdoor initiatives
• Family involvement – Hosting school-wide outdoor events
• Tracking and sharing experiences – Encouraging students to document their learning journeys
• Building community partnerships – Strengthening ties with local organizations
• Forming student advocacy teams – Empowering students to champion outdoor learning
• Leading by example – Hosting school-wide outdoor learning activities
• Showcasing student achievements – Sharing progress at meetings, conferences, and social media
• Embracing trial and error – Learning and adapting as programs grow

Important Reminder: Remember, using the spaces that already exist is MOST important for successful and sustainable outdoor learning. Everybody can enjoy outdoor spaces, no matter where they are. Once students, administrators, families, and communities are supported, enhancing outdoor spaces for different reasons can be a next step. Each school has unique needs, but here are some common teacher and student-generated ideas for improving outdoor spaces:

More seating, tables, and whiteboards for structured learning.
Movement stations for physical activity.
Shade structures for comfort.
Clear boundaries and safety instructions to define learning spaces.More gardens and bird feeders to encourage exploration.By designing outdoor areas with student input, schools can create spaces that support diverse learning experiences while fostering a sense of community and stewardship.

By fostering a shared commitment to outdoor learning, these efforts will not only create lasting educational spaces but also instill a lifelong appreciation for nature in students and educators alike.

Outdoor Space at La Promesa Elementary School- Part of the Outdoor Educator Leadership Program.

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