In Lyon, students at the Antoine Charial school will benefit from a "nature" playground from the start of the school year.

Summer vacation doesn't necessarily mean a break at Antoine Charial Elementary School (3rd arrondissement). Since the beginning of July, the school's playground, located just steps from Part-Dieu, has been undergoing a major renovation project. As part of its "nature playground" plan, the City of Lyon is undertaking a complete transformation of the school's outdoor spaces. The goal: to plant greenery and make the school's playground, which was previously entirely concreted, more pleasant.

"The goal is to make contact with nature an educational opportunity, and also a way to ensure children's health," says Lyon Mayor Grégory Doucet. The City of Lyon is dedicating a municipal budget of €515,000 to this project. In total, 43 Lyon courtyards are expected to benefit from the same treatment by the start of the school year.

To imagine the future 1,500m² "nature playground" dedicated to the Charrial elementary school, the teams drew inspiration from the students' ideas: "There were several consultations with students from CP to CM2," explains Stéphanie Léger, deputy mayor of Lyon, delegate for Education. She adds: "The children expressed their needs and desires, and then their ideas were incorporated into a concrete and realistic plan."

In addition to the 555m² of planted outdoor space, other spaces are also expected to emerge. Starting in September, the playground will feature: a bleacher, an adventure and exploration course, a garden shed, a dry river with a water recovery system, and a quiet area. The sports field located upstream will remain unchanged: "The idea was to create a place where children can play, run, or even relax," explains Stéphanie Léger.

Since the plan was implemented, 38 courtyards have already been planted across the city. According to the mayor of Lyon and teaching staff, the results are encouraging: "We can see how the atmosphere is changing in schools with a nature playground," says Grégory Doucet. He adds: "Teachers tell us that the school climate has calmed down."

These "nature lessons" also aim to encourage the practice of outdoor lessons, an idea supported by the Ministry of Education: "Holding classes outside allows for practical exercises that are more understandable for children," explains Stéphanie Léger, taking the example of math lessons, where students are confronted with calculations involving trees or heights. "Contrary to what one might think, students are more focused outside than between four walls."

Students at Antoine Charial School will be able to enjoy their new playground starting next school year. However, they'll have to wait a little longer for the planting planned for next fall.

Read also: Freshness plan in Lyon: the Doisneau school playground opens to the public for the summer