Living playscapes &
creative learning environments
Working with children's outdoor environments
I work with the development of children's outdoor environments in early childhood education, schools and public settings — supporting play, learning, wellbeing and sustainability within planetary boundaries.
My work brings together perspectives from education, landscape practice and public governance. I focus on children's rights, professional responsibility and the specific conditions of each place and organisation.
With more than 20 years of experience in municipal, educational and research‑informed contexts, I support processes that strengthen both everyday practice and long‑term strategic work.
How I work
Developing meaningful outdoor environments for children is rarely about isolated design solutions. It is about relationships — between people, place, organisation and responsibility — and about creating conditions that work in everyday life and over time.
In my work, I:
- build on the knowledge, experience and resources already present within the organisation
- facilitate collaboration between educators, planners, managers and designers
- weave together pedagogical, ecological and organisational perspectives
- address questions of risk, safety and responsibility using a balanced, child‑centred approach
- support long‑term processes rather than quick interventions
Depending on the context, I work independently or together with other professionals. When needed, I curate and coordinate complementary competences such as landscape architecture, permaculture design, play specialists or designers, so that the whole process holds together.
Areas of experience
My work includes:
- strategic development of school and preschool outdoor environments
- process facilitation in municipalities and organisations
- training and professional development related to outdoor learning, play and risk–benefit thinking
- developing concepts and methodologies for inclusive, nature‑rich and educational outdoor spaces
- contributing to research‑informed guidance, tools and development projects
I have extensive experience working with Benefit–Risk Assessment and with approaches that strengthen play value, inclusion and children's everyday agency.
A context of change
Work with children's outdoor environments takes place in a time of significant ecological change. Climate shifts, biodiversity loss and changing seasonal patterns are already shaping the conditions under which children grow, learn and play. These changes are not abstract — they influence everyday experiences, local environments and the decisions that educators, planners and organisations make.
In this context, strengthening resilience becomes essential. Resilience in outdoor environments means creating places that can support children's wellbeing, curiosity and capability even as conditions change. It also means building organisational and professional resilience — the capacity to navigate uncertainty, adapt practice and hold responsibility in a shifting world.
Developing nature‑rich, meaningful and flexible outdoor spaces for children is therefore both an educational and an ecological task. It is a way of acting responsibly within planetary boundaries while supporting children's relationship with nature, their sense of belonging and their ability to thrive in a changing society.
Collaboration and international exchange
I collaborate with practitioners, researchers and organisations working with children's outdoor environments, outdoor learning and sustainable development. International exchange and shared learning are important parts of my work.
If you would like to connect, explore a collaboration or exchange perspectives, you are welcome to get in touch.
