Problem: In Brazilian cities, there is a lack of contact with nature and culture, due to the few open air spaces for children to play in. Many children live in buildings or small houses and they must entertain themselves in between four walls most of the time. This was the impetus for the development of the Children’s Backyard project in Bahia. The project was implemented in the small Bahian cities of São Gabriel and Boa Vista de Tupim in 2009 and 2011, respectively, creating open air spaces and stimulating the return of traditional games, such as catch, the wheel, rope and spinning top. The idea was to help improve the children’s learning in formal education situations.

Solutions: The first “backyard” was built on a piece of land that was donated by the municipal administration in the neighborhood of Quixabeiras, in the city of São Gabriel, in partnership with the organization Rede Ser-tão Brasil. The backyard was created by the Adolescent Comprehensive Reference Center (Cria). The area became a playground and a place to preserve traditional values, local history and the environment. The creation of this space involved social and cultural movements, as well as public organs. The second of these spaces, in Boa Vista de Tupim, was also widely accepted by the population. Children planted tree seedlings in the backyards and schools began using the spaces to develop new learning methods with the students. One such example was the inclusion of permaculture, a method of sustainable agriculture, in the school curriculum.  

Outcomes: Students, schools, parents, families and the community take over these spaces, which become reference points in the cities. Children start to play and climb trees in these spaces. Educators start to use the backyards to make speeches and presentations about regional art, using songs and nursery rhymes. The cities begin to debate the question of the use and occupation of empty spaces and the need to care for the environment.