Redesigning the Schoolyard Experience
Schoolyards are essential educational infrastructure — yet they remain overlooked.
Schoolyards shape children’s daily experiences of play, movement, social connection, and restoration.
For most children, they are the primary public space where well-being, belonging, and development are negotiated every day.
What happens in the schoolyard does not stay there.
Children carry experiences of connection, exclusion, regulation, and joy back into classrooms,
shaping learning, behaviour, and relationships across the school day.
Schoolyards for Thought advances research, design, and policy to help education systems reimagine schoolyards as inclusive,
climate-ready infrastructure that supports the whole child. We work directly with schools, districts, and education systems—through research partnerships, policy engagement, and evidence-informed keynotes and professional learning—to strengthen schoolyard and recess environments in ways that influence classrooms and the broader school climate.
About Schoolyards For Thought
Keynotes, Consulting, and Professional Workshops
Keynotes, Consulting, and Professional Workshops
Keynotes, Consulting, and Professional Workshops
We translate research into learning opportunities, practical tools, and guidance for educators, leaders, designers, and decision-makers.
Universal Design for Schoolyards
Keynotes, Consulting, and Professional Workshops
Keynotes, Consulting, and Professional Workshops
We support inclusive, flexible, and developmentally responsive schoolyard design grounded in Universal Design principles.
Research & Evidence
Keynotes, Consulting, and Professional Workshops
Policy & Systems Change
We generate and synthesize research on schoolyard quality, recess, inclusion, and well-being—bridging developmental science, learning sciences, and ecological systems theory.
Policy & Systems Change
Keynotes, Consulting, and Professional Workshops
Policy & Systems Change
We work with governments, districts, national, and international organizations to embed schoolyards and recess into policy, standards, and sustainable funding models.
Our Focus Areas
Schoolyard Inequity
Schoolyard Inequity
Schoolyard Inequity
While school boards are beginning to prioritize student health and well-being, schoolyards remain peripheral—typically funded by school councils rather than system-wide investment. This leaves many children, especially those in neighborhoods with fewer resources, facing the greatest inequities in the quality and accessibility of their schoolyards.That gap undermines children’s development, social connection, and opportunities for outdoor learning and play.
Well-Being
Schoolyard Inequity
Schoolyard Inequity
As childhood obesity, anxiety, and depression continue to rise, access to safe, engaging outdoor spaces is more important than ever. Children spend a considerable amount of their developmental years in school and research shows that well-designed, well-maintained schoolyards promote physical activity, reduce stress, and enhance mood and focus. Yet in many communities—especially those with limited resources—schoolyards remain barren, paved, poorly supervised, and uninspiring.
Policy Development
Schoolyard Inequity
Policy Development
Most schoolyards are designed according to outdated standards that emphasize safety and cost at the expense of engagement, health, and equity. Comprehensive policy reform is needed at the district, provincial, and national levels to ensure equitable funding for schoolyard improvements, mandate inclusive design, incorporate outdoor learning into curricula, provide professional development, enhance recess supports, and establish clear accountability measures.
Sustainability
Sustainability
Policy Development
School boards are among the largest landowners, and their schoolyards have the potential to make a significant impact. When designed to be sustainable and ecologically sensitive, these spaces not only give children direct access to the mental health benefits of nature, but also help cool urban heat islands, manage stormwater, boost biodiversity, and improve air quality—offering lasting benefits to the broader community
Training
Sustainability
Training
University education requirements and professional development opportunities should focus on evidence-based best practices for schoolyard design. Key topics include universal design, inclusive recess and play, equitable access to sports, balancing safety and liability with children’s need for challenge and exploration, the connection between recess and student engagement and achievement, the benefits of greening and sustainability, and effective strategies for supporting students across all grade levels.
Design
Sustainability
Training
Applying universal design principles can transform barren, lifeless schoolyards into vibrant, sustainable spaces that are welcoming and inclusive for all children. Universal design aims to create environments that are usable by everyone, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized modifications. By incorporating a wide variety of features, universal design removes environmental barriers, supports diverse forms of participation, and fosters a strong sense of belonging.