Outdoor Play Labs – Integrating STEM & SEL Learning in Education

About the project

The Outdoor Play Labs (OUTPLAY) project enhances STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills in children aged 3 to 10 through outdoor play.

By combining scientific exploration with social and emotional development, the project promotes curiosity, teamwork, creativity, and environmental awareness from an early age.

The goal of the project is to make outdoor learning a natural part of everyday school life, bringing joy, movement, and meaningful engagement with the world around us.

Over two years (2025–2027), partners from Slovakia, Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, and the Netherlands will co-create and pilot an Outdoor STEM & SEL Toolkit, organize teacher trainings and study visits, and establish an online learning community for educators. The project will also develop policy recommendations and video case studies to support wider adoption of outdoor learning across Europe.

Led by Škola dokorán – Wide Open School (Slovakia), the consortium includes Pro-fil Foundation (Poland), Open Academy Step by Step (Croatia), Educational Research Institute – ERI (Slovenia), International Child Development Initiatives – ICDI (Netherlands), and International Step by Step Association – ISSA (Netherlands) as dissemination partner.

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union (2025–2027).

Be sure to check out these interesting articles related to the project.