Playgrounds of Possibility puts children’s voices at the centre of designing safer, climate-resilient school environments.
Who was involved
Lead organisation: Leeds Climate Commission
Partners: University of Leeds, Vesper Hill and Grimes Dyke Primary School
Location: Grimes Dyke Primary School, East Leeds
The challenge
Schools face growing risks from overheating and flooding. Classroom temperatures have reached 38°C and some playground surfaces have exceeded 50°C, affecting children’s wellbeing, learning and opportunities for play.
Yet children are rarely involved in adaptation planning, despite being the main users of school spaces.
Through creative workshops, storytelling and participatory design, children helped develop practical ideas for more resilient school environments.
What is it
Playgrounds of Possibility is a youth-led climate adaptation project that worked with pupils at Grimes Dyke Primary School to explore how playgrounds can remain safe, accessible and enjoyable during extreme heat, flooding and other severe weather.
How It Worked
Over six workshops, Year 2 and Year 5 pupils:
✅ Surveyed their playground
✅ Explored climate risks such as heat and flooding
✅ Built "dream playgrounds" using Lego and creative materials
✅ Shared their ideas with their local MP
Alongside the workshops, Vesper Hill created Sunny Side Up, an audio drama featuring the children's own voices and experiences.
Why it matters
The project shows that climate adaptation is not only about changing infrastructure. It is also about changing how decisions are made and who is involved.
Treating children as experts in their own experiences can make school climate planning more inclusive, creative and relevant to the places they use every day.
“When it comes to playing well in their places, they know and we don’t.” Milo Harries, Research Director, Vesper Hill
At a Glance
- 1 school involved
- 2 year groups participating
- 6 workshops delivered
- 1 audio drama created
- Dozens of child-led adaptation ideas developed
What's Next?
Leeds Climate Commission is working with schools across the city to understand how prepared they are for climate change, identify schools that need support and encourage the development of climate action plans.
The Playgrounds of Possibility approach provides a practical model that can be adapted and replicated by schools across Leeds and beyond.
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