28/05/2026
Student-led environmental activism is more than just encouraging students to put things in the right bins – it’s about creating a community that cares about nature. Green Adelaide has been working with Parafield Gardens Primary School’s Environmental Club, a dedicated group of students who meet Friday lunchtimes to make their school a cooler, greener, and wilder place. This year, the club adopted a clever strategy: aligning their activities with key environmental dates. For Term 1, they chose to focus on Nature Play Week, turning their club initiative into a whole-school celebration during Week 11.
A message from the Environmental Club
By Iris, Sharlytte, Aaima, Kanu, Marlee, and Emilee
‘We wanted to encourage everyone at school to get outdoors and think about how we can all help the environment. We organised a nature scavenger hunt across our school grounds and it was great to see everyone notice the little details of nature that are often overlooked.
We also held a Teddy Bears’ Picnic and set up ice excavation activities for our Junior Primary friends. It was rewarding to see the whole school become more aware of what our club does. We believe playing outside is vital – it helps kids get off screens, soak up vitamin D, and stay active. We even saw students using their imagination to find pictures in the clouds!
If you want to bring more nature play to your school, our advice is:
• Find a mentor: Find a teacher who can help you start a club and meet regularly.
• Be inclusive: Ask students of all ages for their ideas on how to improve your environment.
• Keep it fun: Plan activities that are exciting for everyone.
We hope more students keep exploring and protecting our natural world together. Thank you to Green Adelaide for their support!’
The success at Parafield Gardens highlights how student-led clubs can encourage the whole school to get outside and value nature. By giving students agency to plan and run events, they develop leadership skills and a deep sense of pride in their school environment.
Does your school have an environment club? We would love to hear from them and find out what they’re doing! If you would like to start one at your school, try starting small with a lunchtime club and a few fun nature-based activities – it might be just the spark your school community needs.
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