Global Lessons on Greening School Grounds and Outdoor Learning
Brazil | Movimento dos Quintais Brincantes
Quintais Brincantes, or “playful backyards,” is a movement in Brazil that brings together Brazilian culture and educational practices, with an emphasis on playing in connection with nature as an essential component of a healthy childhood. The movement is supported by men and women from many regions of Brazil, who embrace playing and learning in nature while discovering important lessons about their own place in nature. The open spaces in urban areas that enable the practice to grow across the country are diverse — some are registered as schools and others are public areas rich in nature. A key aspect of the movement is direct contact with nature: children learn by playing freely with trees, stones, fruits, leaves, water, clay, and other materials. Many parents have engaged in the movement through the recommendation of pediatricians and psychologists, who are familiar with the benefits of regular contact with nature in children.
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“These playful backyards are essential for the physical and emotional development and affective social, mental and spiritual well-being of children,” Bruna Rodriguez, Obaobá Playful Backyard
Key Aspects of the Case Study
- Culturally relevant. The “playful backyards” surge from the heart of Brazilian culture. Brazilian ancestral knowledge is the inspiration, and the aim is to to transmit, produce and preserve this knowledge from generation to generation.
- Health-focused. The movement supports health and well-being for children, educators and family members through regular exposure to nature and healthy foods that are locally produced and harvested.
- Nature-centered. Children play with trees, animals, gravel, fruits, water, mud, sand, pieces of wood, and many other natural materials in creative and imaginative ways.
There are also many rural residents who participate in the movement by activating public spaces and private backyards, inviting children to join in unstructured play experiences. Self-described as quintaleiras, these are adults — most of whom are women — who learn along with the children they care for. There is a deep respect for childhood and autonomy embedded in the core values of the Quintais Brincantes movement.
“This contact [with nature], as it has been scientifically proven, beyond our own empirical observation — it boosts immunity, reduces the risk of obesity, improves blood and respiratory circulation,” says Monalisa Couto of João de Barro Playful Backyard.