MLO - Moving and Learning Outside

Topic(s) addressed

• Inspiring play culture to help the development
• In harmony with nature and the environment
• Inclusive and encouraging dialogue across cultures

Target groups

• 7 partners
• 5 countries
• 5 kindergartens

Methodologies

MLO project approached a methodological framework constituted by four approaches:

• Conceptual- related to the conceptualization of data collection materials and subsequent training activities.
• Descriptive- related to portraying children’s perceptions and behaviour in the socio-physical environment.
• Participant- related to the active involvement of teachers and children as active co-researchers in the project.

Environments

• Making contact and attracting interest outside the project circle, from schools and local universities.
• Extending activities into a broader local community (e.g. repairing a playground in one of the schools, invitations to conduct training in the other)
• Endorsing outdoor learning activities while playing NGO in Greece

Teachers

Preschool teachers:

• emphasised the importance of physical and outdoor activities (despite different weather conditions)
• applied new methods and tools for outdoor activities
• increased ability to contribute to the child’s physical and motor, social, emotional and cognitive development
• raised awareness of the right atmosphere inside and outside the classroom leading to new ways of organizing the school year
• improved schools curricula
• developed good rapport with parents and encourage them to be more involved in the school life
• raised awareness of teamwork developed in a multicultural and multidisciplinary context

Impact

• Empowering teachers, caretakers and educators to transform their daily practice with children 
• Providing the preschool and its staff with the necessary tools and skills to improve and Promote playing outdoors 
• Promoting a better and healthier lifestyle for the children 
• Contributing to preventing early school leaving and improving children’s future academic results