Children’s
Lands Canada
Children’s Lands is a global initiative encouraging adults to donate land to children and support them in collectively creating a microcosm of the world they want to live in. As children use their insights and ideas to build a more sustainable and equitable world, they come to see themselves as valued members of society. Children’s Lands Canada (CLC) is a member of the Children’s Lands Global Network, lead by Asociación para la Niñez y su Ambiente (ANIA).
Recognized by UNESCO as a best practice in Education for Sustainable Development, the Children’s Lands methodology is child-centered, child-owned, and child-driven, allowing children to develop connection to the natural world as they make decisions that benefit themselves, others, and Mother Earth. By working in harmony with nature, they develop environmental stewardship skills, resilience, self-awareness, empathy, critical judgement, practical knowledge, and a sense of belonging.
UNESCO is the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
Children’s Lands in Action
Current research indicates that optimal learning happens when children are actively engaged and in relationship with their surroundings. CLC works with parents, educators, and community organizers to provide land where children have autonomy over a natural environment. This land becomes a pedagogical resource for the children and their parents, guardians, teachers, and program facilitators. As children and young people become stewards of the land, they help decide how to bring positive change to their environment. By doing so, they align with the natural rhythm of the earth and develop meaningful relationships with the natural world. CLC would like to acknowledge all of the organizations, schools, and families that are currently supporting children in this way.
Planting Seeds of Hope
Planting Seeds of Hope (PSOH) has been working with local children since 2009 to develop the first Children’s Lands site in Canada. The children have named their land Thunderbird River Land, Hands to Hands and transformed an empty paddock area into a beautiful space that houses a grape arbour, birch tree circle, cedar hedge, mini fruit tree orchard, children’s greehouse, perennial garden, sunflower house, bean tipi, strawberry garden, mud kitchen, naturalized sand play area, climbing stump circle, gathering space surrounded by Saskatoon berry trees, and a children’s community garden that is planted and harvested each year. The children have also helped turn their barn into a beautiful, year-round meeting space for all.
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Niwasa Early Learning
and Child Care Centre
Niwasa Early Learning and Child Care Centre (NELCCC) provides licensed childcare for infants, toddlers, and preschool children. Educators follow an Indigenous pedagogy and cultural curriculum highlighting the seasons and medicines of the land, setting a foundation for children to feel at home in the circle of creation. It was the first education organization in Canada to embrace Children’s Lands. “The program empowers our children with the confidence and skills they need to grow their own food, while facilitating a personal connection with the Earth. Through Children’s Lands, the children have transformed their classroom and outdoor play space into a place of beauty that is significant and meaningful to them.” — Ketmanee Pradabsri, Early Years Manager
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Niwasa Head Start Preschool
Niwasa Head Start Preschool provides a culturally inclusive, land-based learning environment for urban Indigenous children ages two-and-a-half to five years old. The curriculum encourages meaningful connections with Mother Earth and the development of strong relationships with the natural world.
Niwasa children visit the CLC headquarters regularly as part of their cultural curriculum. Each year the children plant, care for, and harvest sections of the children’s gardens and take on a project to create something on the land that benefits themselves, other people, and the natural world. To date, Niwasa children have envisioned and created a bean tipi, a sunflower house, and a bug hotel. It is an honour to work with Niwasa and benefit from the insights and wisdom their children bring to the land.
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Children’s Lands in Home Settings
The overarching goal of CLC is to provide children with the inspiration and necessary tools to bring its program to any area.
Above are photographs of some of the many children that are caring for a Children’s Land in their home environment.
CLC acknowledges these children for using their energy and gifts to create natural spaces for their families and communities to enjoy.
Training and Certification
Training programs give educators and facilitators an in-depth understanding of the Children’s Lands methodology, providing a framework that’s been tested in different countries for more than twenty years. Courses offer discussions on current practices, underlying philosophies, environmental concerns, new ways of thinking, engagement strategies, the value of coherence, and the importance of recognizing children and young people as valued members of society.
CLC methodology works for children of all ages and aligns beautifully with the Ministry of Education document “How Does Learning Happen?" Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years.” Participants receive course manuals, electronic copies of information and presentations, a certificate of completion, and access to mentorship, support, and ideas from other educators and community leaders in Canada.
Coming soon: Online Certification Course
Family Inspiration Days
Family Inspiration Days introduce parents and children to the Children’s Lands initiative, and provides families with the inspiration and the tools they need to implement the program in their home environment. Families will have an opportunity to tour the Children’s Lands headquarters (in Middleport, ON) and will hear the stories and see the impact that young children in our community have created on the land.
Facilitators will offer some nature-based games and activities and will then invite the children to participate in an “environmental diagnosis” and a “group visioning session”, so parents can witness the process and leave with the confidence to repeat it at home.
For families wanting to support their children in creating a Children’s Land within their home environment, or for families who just want to come to the land, meet other families and learn more about the program, this is the perfect introduction to Children’s Lands.
Our next Family Inspiration Day will be on Sunday, May 28, 2023 from 1 - 3:00pm. This is a free event, but donations are appreciated and will support our children’s programs. Please register below so that we have a sense of numbers.
Click here to register for our next Family Inspiration DaysFAMILY INSPIRATION DAY - REGISTER NOW
Children’s Land International
Children’s Lands International is an initiative run by ANIA (Associacion para la Ninez y su Ambiente), a nonprofit founded in Peru in 1995. ANIA’s vision is that every school in the world recognizes Mother Earth as a powerful teacher and essential staff member and, in turn, creates an outdoor classroom where she can work with all children. In the words of ANIA founder Joaquín Leguía, “Who better to teach about life than life itself?”
In 2015, Peru’s Ministry of Education adopted the Children’s Land methodology as part of its national curriculum; it is currently in 6,000 schools across that country. Two years later, the methodology was incorporated into the national curriculum of Ecuador, where it is now in more than 3,000 schools. ANIA is aligned with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, of which there are seventeen total. ANIA is working to create an eighteenth goal, Active Empathy for Life.
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