December 12th

By Mutt Mulligan

Students prefer “green” school grounds over paved ones

Have you paid attention to the type of vegetation (or lack thereof) at your children’s schools? A recent study of 300 elementary and secondary students asked kids to rate their preferences for different types of school grounds. The study concluded that the students prefer grounds with diverse vegetation over traditional paved ones.

To conduct the study, scientists showed the children photographs of traditional school grounds that included paved and asphalted areas bordered by trimmed hedges and trees. They were also shown pictures of grounds that were enriched with lush living landscaped elements like a wildflower meadow, diverse shrubs, and flowerbeds.

Overall, the richly landscaped areas were preferred over the traditional ones that had more hardscaping. In general, the younger children liked the species-poor lawn scenarios more than the older kids did. Older children responded more positively to small-scale and tidy biodiverse enrichments.

These kids may really be on to something. Additional studies have shown that exposure to green space can help children learn better in school by improving memory and attention span. To learn about the host of other benefits that our school yards, community spaces, and lawns offer, check out the Living Landscapes Fact Book.

The TurfMutt Foundation is committed to helping kids green their school grounds and hosts a Spruce Up Your School contest each year. Keep an eye out in early 2020 for the contest announcement!