Today’s children have limited opportunities to connect with the natural environment. They spend more time viewing television and playing video games on computers than they do being physically active outside. Since they do not have direct experiences in nature, these children will miss out crucial opportunities to enhance their overall well-being, health and relationships. In the past decade, the benefits of connecting to nature have been well documented in numerous scientific research studies which show that children’s social, psychological, academic and physical health is positively impacted when they have daily contact with nature.Taking these benefits into consideration, we, 6 partner countries (Hungary, Turkey, Romania, Poland, Latvia and Italy), have come together to create this project: Nature Loving Kids (NLK). Our main aim is to provide teachers with knowledge and competence in order to guide children to connect with nature letting them spend more time outdoors. Nearly 800 children aged between 3-7 and 150 teachers and educators will participate in this precious project.We will focus on the following objectives:-To enable teachers to obtain knowledge and skills to conduct Nature activities -To let children connect with nature and spend more time outdoors-To give opportunity to teachers for professional development in alternative approaches to be conducted with nature-To improve children’s skills in free play, discovery learning and exploration-To equip teachers with new ideas and techniques to be used with SEN children in natureOur project will have 6 joint staff training with 6 different themes in which the participants will be provided with competence in order to conduct project activities more effectively.We plan to have regular assessment procedures to ensure that the project objectives are achieved:1) PRE/POST TESTS for children 2) MONITORING SHEET TEMPLATE for teachers 3) FEEDBACK GATHERED AT WORKSHOP/PARENTS MEETING4) PARTICIPANTS’ SATISFACTION QUESTIONNAIRES 5) COMMENTS of the visitors and followers on social media (Facebook&Instagram) 6) PROJECT OUTPUTS & PRODUCTS Throughout 2 year period, we plan to create the following outputs and products with the collaboration of our partners: Project Brochure/Roll-up, Project web page, eTwinning project, social media groups, Nature Loving Kids’ Activity Pack , Teachers’ Guide for Nature Activities, Recipe Book, Picture Dictionary, Guidelines for Sustainable Nature Loving Kids.Our project will contribute to the development of the involved schools in the long-term. For instance:The Staff will-have a raised awareness of recent changes in Nature Education which will raise the quality at our respective schools-acquire new and innovative skills and approaches to use Nature and Outdoor activities with both children and children with SEN -be more qualified with working out tools for validation and assessment progress-get better at formal and non-formal international eventsThe Children will-be more independent and self-confident with the enhancement of creativity, inspiration, curiosity, observation, exploration skills, motor skills and social skills -develop love for Nature and raise awareness about Environment and Cycle of Life-spend more time outdoor, be healthier, discover, learn by doing and have funThe Schools will-have more teaching staff, parents, etc. with the increasing awareness of Nature Kindergartens and Outdoor activities-have more staff and parents being familiar with some aspects of the European dimension and intercultural awareness-motivate other schools to join in international projectsThe Parents will-deepen their knowledge and understanding of Nature Education and Outdoor Learning in order to support their children-become more open and receptive in their response to different cultures and traditions.The Wider Community will-have greater awareness on Nature Education and Outdoor Learning at younger children, the future generation.

"Things we do to live comfortably can affect the world around us, and the quantity of garbage we produce every day is something we should take more care of. Little actions and care from each individual can radically change humanity's impact on our planet. In order to reduce our continuous production of waste and to apply a real sustainable development, It is necessary that we make changes in our consumption habits, daily behavior, lifestyle and ways of doing things. And the sooner we learn how to make these changes, the better will be for our planet. That's why we want to start from very early childhood: kindergarten education.The seven partner kindergartens are from Iceland, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Norway and Turkey, all of them are already very active on environmental education and recycling activities, with a total of about 400 children and 150 school staff members involved in this project. We are the perfect team to identify, develop and test the 3Rs best practices (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) with children aged 2-7 years. In the 7 partner countries educators will engage children in opportunities to learn about environment, 3Rs and sustainability, involving families and local communities.Four leitmotivs will run throughout the whole project:-RUBBISH FAMILY: a family of waste bins composed by Father, Mother and Babies, that will contain all the waste of the school, so that children and staff can be aware of the quantity (and quality) of waste produced.-COMPOSTER, the King of Rubbish, where children can see first hand, that waste can turn in a valuable resource!-SCHOOL FLEA MARKET, open to children's families and to local community to ease the exchange of cloths, toys or any item that can still serve someone else.-ROSE OF JERICHO (also called Resurrection Plant), a desert plant that seems totally dry and dead, until it gets a little water to open and turn back to life, green and strong, to amaze children with the miracle of water.We have adapted the 3Rs to our little children, and they became 4 as follows :1. RECOGNIZE – children will learn about the different materials we use in our everyday life: plastic, glass, paper, organic, etc. through games, sport competitions, simple agricultural tasks and outdoor activities. Children will learn how to recognize natural and sustainable materials from those that are not.""We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors; we borrow it from our Children"" (anonymous) 2. REDUCE – we will all get acquainted to replace non-sustainable materials and products, with more sustainable ones, schools will help families organizing purchasing groups to get sustainable productions at a lower price. Experts will involve parents in easy lessons to learn how to produce simple every-day low-impact products at home.""Do not pretend that things will change if we always do the same"" (Albert Einstein)3. RECYCLE (and Reuse) – children will get used to separate garbage in the correct bins and reuse everything possible, making handcrafts, shopping bags and decorations for the school, using items in the bins.""The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not everyone's greed"" (Gandhi)4. ROOT – this part will be fully focused on teachers, who will share, discuss and consolidate the aims, activities, methods and results of the project, with other teachers (of local kindergarten and primary schools) and with University Professors. Every school will also apply for the ECO-SCHOOL certification of the worldwide Foundation for Environmental Education, in order to root the good habits learnt during the project and make it a permanent curriculum program.""Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world"" (Nelson Mandela)Our main aims and desired impacts in short:-connecting our children with the wonders of nature and create environmental awareness to respect and protect our planet,-improving competence and skills in environmental education of kindergarten teachers,-consolidating and disseminating the 3Rs best practices to kindergartens children and teachers, but also to their families and local communities,-exchanging good practices among different countries,-raising awareness in children and families about the impact that products we use have on environment, and become aware of how little changes in our lifestyle can help our planet to stay healthy,-rooting all good habits learnt during the project to make them a permanent lifestyle and curriculum program in our kindergartens,-improving, consolidating and disseminating new teaching methods for 3Rs best practices in kindergartens, -increasing the quality level in our kindergartens,-creating a stronger feeling of belonging to the European Community and therefore continue improving our performances as teachers and educators.""Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do"" (Steve Jobs)"