#INSPIRE Nature as a learning environment

As part of the “Inclusive and Nurturing Spaces for Progressive, Innovative, and Responsive Education (INSPIRE)" project, implemented under the Interreg NEXT Romania–Ukraine 2021–2027 programme, we consider nature to be an important teacher that shapes ecological thinking, curiosity and a love for the world around us.

The best classroom is the one in the open air. Learning outdoors helps children concentrate more easily and develops their attentiveness and powers of observation. Here, pupils do not just listen – they see, feel, explore and make their own discoveries. Trees, insects, flowers, birds and changes in the weather become living teaching materials that bring any topic to life.

Such lessons can take place simply in the school playground, in a city park or at nearby natural locations. Pupils carry out practical observations, explore plant structures, study seasonal changes, and learn to identify species of birds or insects. This not only reinforces knowledge of the natural sciences but also fosters respect for the environment and an understanding of ecosystem connections.

Within the framework of INSPIRE, we aim to make outdoor learning an integral part of the daily educational process. After all, nature is not just a backdrop, but an active participant in the learning process, inspiring, calming and teaching responsibility. Short walks, outdoor lessons, and mini-research tasks – all of this helps children discover the world not from textbooks, but through real-life experience. And this is precisely how a generation is shaped that knows not only how to learn, but also how to protect nature.

This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Executive Committee of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or of the Interreg VI-A NEXT Romania-Ukraine Programme 2021- 2027 management structures.

#InterregROUA