Växjö - Gemla Preschool

The pilot site covers 5,800 m² and will become a new preschool yard in summer 2026 (located about 500 metres from the current preschool site). 

The new preschool plot is next to a municipality-owned forest, mainly made up of spruce trees. The forest is not widely used by the public today, although the preschool visits it from time to time.

• Low levels of plant and animal life
• Lack of shaded areas to protect children from UV radiation
• Limited opportunities for outdoor and nature-based learning

• Build infrastructure that supports nature-based learning and outdoor physical activity. This includes planting trees to provide shade on hot days and shelter during rain.
• Plant flowers, new bushes and meadows to provide shelter for pollinators and birds, increasing local plant and animal life.
• Implement new water circulation and storage systems to support future vegetable gardens on the site.
• Improve the ecological and social value of the nearby forest through small-scale actions that increase biodiversity and create more opportunities for physical activity and outdoor learning.

The interventions will give children more opportunities to play, learn, and spend time in nature, while also increasing local biodiversity. They will also benefit the surrounding neighbourhood, as the forest is open to the public at all times, and the preschool yard will also be open to visitors outside of preschool opening hours.