The term ‘Earth Overshoot Day’ has been used for some time now, but not by many and not often, so the majority of people are unaware that such a calculation even exists, let alone its terrifying and truthful significance. Earth Overshoot Day is “the point where the...
Originally written by Michelle Carpenter. Updated by Natural Pod on March 30, 2026. A child walks into a classroom and within seconds, they start making sense of the space. The light. The colors. The level of visual noise on the walls. Before a single lesson begins,...
I first fell in love with biomimicry while attending a county-wide science leadership meeting in February 2017. I was there in my capacity as science department chair at Oak Park High School in California’s Oak Park Unified School District. It was toward the end of...
Whole school sustainability has a range of meanings. As a designer or planner of built educational environments how does one deliver a successful project when creating a sustainable school or learning environment? As the Founder and CEO of Natural Pod this has been my...
We spend ninety percent of our lives indoors in environments where we live, learn, and work. In some countries, that number is even higher due to extreme climate and outdoor pollution. If we spend ninety percent of our time indoors, that means that by the time our...
Recently, on September 13th and 15th, I was able to participate in the Design for Early Learning Symposium, organized by Alissa Rupp, FAIA, LEED BD+C, Principal, FRAME | Integrative Design Strategies and Diane Kroll, Founder of Imag(e)ine Collaborative, an excellent...
Our outdoor learning environment partners at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds share their best features for physical literacy in outdoor learning and play spaces. With the average rate a child spends outdoors dropping every year due to sedentary lifestyles centered...
The classroom environments where children spend most of their day can impact their emotional well-being, as well as their physical comfort. The look and feel of a learning environment can speak volumes to a child and can serve to make them feel welcome and valued....
Every educator knows the challenge: how do you create a classroom that not only inspires learning but also nurtures the well-being of every student? The answer, as it turns out, is found in nature itself. At Natural Pod, we believe that biophilic design—the practice...
Sendy, a wonderful Kindergarten teacher, is so committed to the students in her care, that over the summer she acquired a second job to personally pay for additional furniture for her classroom so that the layout could be more collaborative. That’s quite amazing...
Inspired by the resource, Beautiful Stuff we invited the children to fill our studio with their personal collections of beautiful materials. “I know what materials are: metal, wood, all the stuff you build houses with… books…whatever you can do stuff with, except...
“We should be focusing on the youngest amongst us” was a statement a friend and experienced educational building architect said to me recently, and it really stuck with me. We were discussing the importance of early learning through the lens of the learning...
We had a very special and unique opportunity to collaborate with this group of mixed grades 6 and 7 students at York House School in Vancouver, Canada, to help and support them in creating their dream learning space. The school is expanding and they will be moving...
Our school year started with teachers returning for staff team-building and professional development August 1, about three and a half weeks before students were scheduled to start. Returning for our second year as a school, with a new grade level added, as well as...
Imagine a space where every corner invites curiosity, every level sparks adventure, and each step is a pathway to boundless imagination. Natural Pod’s Wonder lofts aren’t just structures — they’re gateways to exploration, places where children’s creativity takes...
How Intentional Learning Environments Communicate Values, Support Communities, and Shape Futures When you walk into a learning space, what does it say to the children who spend their days there? Does it communicate respect for their competence? Does it invite...
Celebrating our earth: Holding the world in our hands – Inspired by Purpose Preschool It’s inspiring to see how our friends at Purpose Preschool in Edmonton, Canada, embraced Earth Day, focusing on learning practical ways children can care for their environment...
The BC Ministry of Education Early Years Program has published a wonderful story about the importance of early years education programs. Read the full post on the BC Early Years Blog. There are many factors to a child’s early learning, including parents, caregivers,...
What happens when you ask children what they want to learn? Possibly, months of dolphin discovery or a complete agricultural adaptation of the pop-smash Gangnam Style, complete with choreographed dance moves, called “Oh, Potato Style.” Last week I had the incredible...
Do you remember a moment where someone’s encouragement made a world of difference? Sometimes hearing three simple words like “You got this!” can be powerful. And everyone can benefit from encouragement, no matter their age. When a child receives encouragement from an...
Sprig, the last classroom table you’ll ever need
