Eco-Schools is supporting Empty Classroom Day as outdoor learning and play is brilliant fun and so important for children’s health and development.

We know as Eco-Schools that teachers, outdoor educators and play workers work hard to ensure that children get to spend time outside. That’s why we wanted to help celebrate this and ensure that the day continued to grow, so more children than ever get the chance to learn and play outside on the day.

Many of the schools that have signed up to Empty Classroom Day are Eco-Schools and have found ways of linking outdoor play and learning to the Eco-Schools topics. We have had a look at the schools that have signed up to Empty Classroom Day to see if any of them were doing activities that link with nine Eco-Schools topics.

ENERGY

Ashford School in Buckinghamshire is having as many of their normal lessons as possible outside. They will be studying maths, literacy etc., outside in the playground. As the white boards are going to be off for the day, they are hoping this will save them lots of electricity as well. They are even going as far as having a ploughman’s lunch so even the ovens in the school kitchen won’t be used to save them even more energy! Have you found a great way to link Empty Classroom Day to the Energy topic of Eco-Schools?

WATER

Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School in Bournemouth are going to be doing beach art by the sea.

BIODIVERSITY

The King’s School in Macclesfield are going to go up in to the Gingko meadow for the day, cook sausages on a campfire , build dens, climb trees, make clay animals on the trees, collect sticks, make natural pictures, spot the signs of summer and check their bug hotel. Listen to bird song as one child can recognise individual birds from their songs. If it rains they will collect the water in buckets and have fun with the mud!

LITTER

Berry Hill School in Gloucestershire are going outside for a litter-pick with each class getting an area to clean.

WASTE

St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Staffordshire are also doing a litter-pick.

HEALTHY LIVING

Marsden Junior School are going to be doing a fun run.

TRANSPORT

West Meon C.E. Primary School in Petersfield is going to take the whole school for a walk along the Gallops and Outwoods Primary School in Warwickshire are visiting canals all week and will be ‘making’ a canal outside in the outdoor classroom on the day.

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

Friarswood Primary School in Staffordshire are yet to decide what they are doing but they will be running a ‘Brazilian’ workshop linking to the Olympics.

SCHOOL GROUNDS

And all age ranges seem to be enjoying the school grounds topic from Putney High School in London who will be investigating photosynthesis, to the youngest at Clifton Children’s House Nursery in Bristol, who will be going outside during the morning in their newly re-developed outdoor space. Then at mid-day they are going to be inviting parents along when they officially open the space so children will be able to show their parents their new grounds where they can climb, they have a mud kitchen, they can dig, role play, plant, build dens and let their imagination run riot!

Haven’t signed up yet? Sign up now!