Nature Loving Kids Erasmus Project

Project Title

Nature Loving Kids

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Natural sciences; Health and wellbeing; Cooperation between educational institutions and business

Project Summary

Today’s children have limited opportunities to connect with the natural environment. They spend more time viewing television and playing video games on computers than they do being physically active outside. Since they do not have direct experiences in nature, these children will miss out crucial opportunities to enhance their overall well-being, health and relationships. In the past decade, the benefits of connecting to nature have been well documented in numerous scientific research studies which show that children’s social, psychological, academic and physical health is positively impacted when they have daily contact with nature.
Taking these benefits into consideration, we, 6 partner countries (Hungary, Turkey, Romania, Poland, Latvia and Italy), have come together to create this project: Nature Loving Kids (NLK). Our main aim is to provide teachers with knowledge and competence in order to guide children to connect with nature letting them spend more time outdoors. Nearly 800 children aged between 3-7 and 150 teachers and educators will participate in this precious project.
We will focus on the following objectives:
-To enable teachers to obtain knowledge and skills to conduct Nature activities
-To let children connect with nature and spend more time outdoors
-To give opportunity to teachers for professional development in alternative approaches to be conducted with nature
-To improve children’s skills in free play, discovery learning and exploration
-To equip teachers with new ideas and techniques to be used with SEN children in nature
Our project will have 6 joint staff training with 6 different themes in which the participants will be provided with competence in order to conduct project activities more effectively.
We plan to have regular assessment procedures to ensure that the project objectives are achieved:
1) PRE/POST TESTS for children
2) MONITORING SHEET TEMPLATE for teachers
3) FEEDBACK GATHERED AT WORKSHOP/PARENTS MEETING
4) PARTICIPANTS’ SATISFACTION QUESTIONNAIRES
5) COMMENTS of the visitors and followers on social media (Facebook&Instagram)
6) PROJECT OUTPUTS & PRODUCTS

Throughout 2 year period, we plan to create the following outputs and products with the collaboration of our partners: Project Brochure/Roll-up, Project web page, eTwinning project, social media groups, Nature Loving Kids’ Activity Pack , Teachers’ Guide for Nature Activities, Recipe Book, Picture Dictionary, Guidelines for Sustainable Nature Loving Kids.
Our project will contribute to the development of the involved schools in the long-term. For instance:
The Staff will
-have a raised awareness of recent changes in Nature Education which will raise the quality at our respective schools
-acquire new and innovative skills and approaches to use Nature and Outdoor activities with both children and children with SEN
-be more qualified with working out tools for validation and assessment progress
-get better at formal and non-formal international events
The Children will
-be more independent and self-confident with the enhancement of creativity, inspiration, curiosity, observation, exploration skills, motor skills and social skills
-develop love for Nature and raise awareness about Environment and Cycle of Life
-spend more time outdoor, be healthier, discover, learn by doing and have fun
The Schools will
-have more teaching staff, parents, etc. with the increasing awareness of Nature Kindergartens and Outdoor activities
-have more staff and parents being familiar with some aspects of the European dimension and intercultural awareness
-motivate other schools to join in international projects
The Parents will
-deepen their knowledge and understanding of Nature Education and Outdoor Learning in order to support their children
-become more open and receptive in their response to different cultures and traditions.
The Wider Community will
-have greater awareness on Nature Education and Outdoor Learning at younger children, the future generation.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 123395 Eur

Project Coordinator

Ban Zsigmond Presbyterian Primary School & Country: HU

Project Partners

• Istituto Comprensivo “Lombardo Radice-Pappalardo”
• Daugavpils pilsetas 11.pirmsskolas izglitibas iestade
• Przedszkole Miejskie Nr 206 z Oddzialami Integracyjnymi w Lodzi
• kezban mercan anaokulu
• GRADINITA CU PROGRAM PRELUNGIT NR.2