OUTPLAY develops and tests practical, curriculum-aligned solutions that help educators integrate outdoor play into everyday teaching as a meaningful space for STEM and SEL learning. 

Key activities include: 

• Developing an Outdoor STEM & SEL Toolkit with ready-to-use lesson plans and activities for children aged 3–10 

• Training educators through Training of Trainers and cascading national trainings 

• Piloting outdoor learning in schools and kindergartens across partner countries 

• Organising Outdoor Play Labs and community events that actively engage children,     families, and local stakeholders 

• Leveraging an open-access digital platform to ensure long-term availability and scalability of resources, long after the funding for the initiative has ended 

• Producing policy recommendations to embed outdoor learning into education     systems 

Across Europe, children’s opportunities for outdoor play aredeclining due to urbanisation, rigid curricula, safety concerns, andincreased screen time. At the same time:

• Many educators lack confidence and training in STEM education 

• STEM learning is often disconnected from real-life contexts 

• Social-emotional skills are undervalued despite their importance for lifelong     learning 

• Children from vulnerable backgrounds face structural barriers to quality education 

Research shows that early exposure to STEM, outdoor learning, and social-emotional development: 

• Enhances problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking 

• Supports emotional regulation, collaboration, and resilience 

• Increases long-term engagement in learning 

• Fosters environmental awareness and sustainable behaviours 

OUTPLAY is grounded in the belief that outdoor play is not an “extra”, but a powerful, inclusive approach to learning and cultivates a more dynamic environment in which children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. OUTPLAY positions outdoor learning not as an occasional activity, but as a regular, curriculum-aligned learning space that can be integrated into everyday teaching practice.

OUTPLAY takes a practice-oriented, inclusive, and scalable approach:

1. Co-creation with educators: Teachers and early childhood practitioners are actively involved in shaping the toolkit, ensuring relevance, usability, and alignment with     national curricula. 

2. Learning through experience: Children engage in hands-on exploration, experimentation, and collaborative problem-solving outdoors — learning by doing,     not memorising. 

3.  Integration of STEM and SEL: STEM learning is embedded within social interaction, team work, communication, and emotional awareness, reflecting how     children actually learn. 

4. Inclusive design: Activities are adaptable to different abilities, backgrounds, and     settings, with specific guidance for inclusive outdoor learning environments. 

5. Community engagement: Families and local actors participate in Outdoor Play Labs, strengthening school–community connections and shared responsibility for     children’s learning. 

6. Open access and sustainability: All core resources are made available digitally, supporting long-term use, adaptation, and replication across Europe. 

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OUTPLAY offers a concrete, scalable model for integrating outdoor play into formal and non-formal education as a driver of STEM learning and social-emotional development, and with an emphasis on inclusion and belonging. In practice, this means supporting educators to plan, implement, and reflect on regular outdoor activities that are clearly linked to curriculum-based STEM and social-emotional learning goals.

What makes OUTPLAY distinctive: 

• It bridges STEM, SEL, and outdoor play instead of treating them as separate     domains 

• It equips educators with practical, curriculum-aligned tools 

• It promotes equity, inclusion, and belonging, ensuring access for under served children 

• It strengthens confidence and competence among professionals 

• It supports policy influence by translating practice into system-level recommendations 

By embedding outdoor learning into everyday education, OUTPLAY contributes to more responsive, inclusive, and future-oriented education systems. 

OUTPLAY contributes directly to European priorities, including: 

• Inclusion and diversity in education 

• STEM and STEAM education 

• Environmental sustainability and green transition 

• Quality early childhood education and care 

• Children’s rights and well-being

Through ISSA’s dissemination and advocacy work, OUTPLAY translates practice-based evidence into policy-relevant messages that support systemic change.