How Green Schoolyards Create Economic Value
Nature-filled schoolyards – or green schoolyards – provide a wealth of well-documented benefits for children’s health, well-being and learning. A growing number of communities also recognize the role of green schoolyards in supporting climate resilience.
And there’s another key benefit. A new report, “How Green Schoolyards Create Economic Value,” authored by former Federal Reserve economist Rob Grunewald, outlines the economic returns that can accompany investments in greening school grounds.
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The “How Green Schoolyards Create Economic Value” report was based in large part on data from a 12-year study of 99 schools in Denver, Colorado, conducted by The Big SandBox and Autocase Economic Advisory.
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Benefits of Green Schoolyards
Green schoolyards provide many proven benefits for kids, from enhancing academic achievement to promoting health and wellness.
Green Schoolyards and Academic Outcomes
Evidence-based infographic highlighting how green schoolyards can improve academic outcomes.
Green Schoolyards and Physical Activity
Evidence-based infographic highlighting how green schoolyards can increase children’s physical activity.
Green Schoolyards and Mental Health Benefits
Evidence-based infographic highlighting how green schoolyards can enhance children’s mental health, social emotional learning, and well-being.
Green Schoolyards and Beneficial Play
Evidence-based infographic highlighting how green schoolyards can encourage and offer a variety of options for beneficial play.
Green Schoolyards District Design Guidelines
The Green Schoolyards District Design Guidelines is a product of over a year-long collaboration with a group of cross-sector leaders working towards systemic change in the way we think about and use the outdoor spaces surrounding a school.
Global Lessons on Greening School Grounds & Outdoor Learning
The Global Lessons on Greening School Grounds & Outdoor Learning project is engaging leaders and practitioners around the world to learn more about successful approaches and scalable strategies for greening school grounds.
Research Digest: Community and environmental benefits of green schoolyards, October 2023
This Digest explores the community and environmental benefits of green schoolyards.
In Flagstaff, green schoolyards sprout after climate-related disasters
Climate-related fires and floods are all too common these days for cities in the western United States. Unfortunately, this is precisely the story of Flagstaff, Arizona...
In search of a greener schoolyard: As the planet heats up, green schoolyards offer a world of benefits
On a hot summer day, time seems to slow to a crawl, and our instinct is to head indoors, shelter in the air conditioning and drink something...
Cities take the lead in transforming schoolyards with nature to help kids thrive
After a year of remote learning, closed playgrounds and a lot of uncertainty, schools and students across the U.S. are looking forward to the return of in-person learning. For many communities, one of the biggest lessons of the past year was the role that outdoor spaces can play in supporting children’s learning and well-being.
Green Schoolyard Design Features
A green schoolyard is a nature-filled, multi-functional school ground designed for and by students, teachers, parents and community members that offer spaces to play, learn, explore and grow.
Implementing Green Stormwater Infrastructure on Schoolyards
This report outlines these challenges and highlights examples of partnerships and projects that have had success in addressing them.
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