The Enchantment of Nature, Movement and Learning – 1–3 September 2027, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland
Welcome to the international ISGA goes ULOS-UT-OUT event! The event brings together designers, builders and commissioners of school and kindergarten grounds, as well as teachers, early childhood educators and others developing outdoor learning and outdoor play from around the world. The theme of the event in Finland is the enchantment of nature, movement and learning – how school grounds and local environments support the learning, movement and well-being of children and young people. The event encourages education providers to set aside and develop nature-based outdoor learning environments for early childhood education, schools and other educational institutions, and to support outdoor learning in other ways.
The event takes place at the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia and the Solvalla Sports Institute, next to Nuuksio National Park, just a 30-minute drive from Helsinki. The main language of the event is English, with parallel program also in Finnish and Swedish.
Program
Wednesday 1 September – Practice and Research from around the world
- Keynote lecture
- Presentation sessions
Thursday 2 September – Workshops
- Deep Dive workshops
- Non Stop workshops
- Round tables
Friday 3 September – Excursions
- Bus excursions to school grounds, nature schools and kindergartens in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
Timeline
- Call for proposals open until 31 January 2027 – submit your proposal using the application form
- Proposals are selected during the call and by February 2027 at the latest
- Program published and registration opens in March 2027
- Event held 1–3 September 2027
ISGA (International School Grounds Alliance) is a global volunteer network that brings together experts in the use, design and management of school grounds. It promotes high-quality design and everyday use of school grounds to support children’s learning, play and well-being. The ISGA conference is held every two years in a different part of the world – and in 2027, for the first time in Finland!
