Overstimulated students? The school planted them a forest

photo: Ogólnopolski Operator Oświaty Foundation

Trouble concentrating, hyperactivity, and lack of patience - even in young children - are no coincidence. These are signs of the times and a result of being bombarded with stimuli they cannot process.

"Children’s eyes never rest from screens, their ears are flooded with noise. They’re like computers that have been in standby mode too long", explains Dorota Kiersk-Królikowska, head of SPECTO Primary School in Poznań. "Stimulus fatigue, lack of physical activity and disconnection from nature affect their focus, emotions, and well-being".

The head of the Poznań school, like teachers across Poland, warns that overstimulated children may react with aggression, addiction, or even conflict with the law. On the other end of the spectrum lie anxiety, depression, or eating disorders. The school is exploring how to counter these threats using a familiar ally - nature.

A breath for the brain. Relief in a world of overload

"The forest soothes the mind, reduces stress, and improves concentration and creativity by up to 50%. Just 20 minutes in the woods significantly lowers cortisol - the stress hormone", explains Dr. Kasper Jakubowski, a nature educator, ecologist, and landscape architect from Forest Maker. "That’s why kids need green spaces that calm them, restore them, and spark curiosity".

Poznań`s SPECTO Primary School, Forest Maker, and InPost Green City are running a pioneering project in Poland: Forest LabOOOratory. A place that will become a peaceful, safe refuge full of greenery, calm, breath, and silence for many preschoolers and students.

"In the Forest LabOOOratory, nature resets the senses, calms the mind, slows the body, and teaches how to be present in the moment. It’s like a breath for the brain. A simple green rescue in a world full of noise", smiles Dorota Kiersk-Królikowska. "Here, children can be children again. No rush, in the rhythm of nature. No likes, but full of wonder".

The idea came from the children. During winter, staff from the Ogólnopolski Operator Oświaty Foundation, which runs the school, asked the kids about their dream stress-free space. The answer was surprising. They wanted a forest. Quiet, peaceful, with benches. A school forest? An ambitious but realistic plan. The OOO Foundation invited Dr. Jakubowski to the school. He held workshops with the students, learned what they missed in daily school life and how they imagined their dream forest. That’s how the Forest LabOOOratory project was born.

"We used several hundred square meters alongside a concrete parking lot. Together with the kids, we planted hundreds of trees, shrubs, and forest floor plants. A total of 44 species, plus mulch, habitats for insects and hedgehogs", explains Kasper Jakubowski. "We turned a concrete biological desert into a living, biodiverse space".

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A place that will have a real impact on the school’s surroundings and microclimate. The forest was created using the Miyawaki method, which:

• Reduces noise by at least 10 dB,
• Binds 20.6 tons of CO₂ per year,
• Creates habitat for at least 500 species,
• Improves soil water retention by 90%.

A forest classroom

For many kids, this was their first time planting trees - and on such a large scale. With Forest Maker experts, they learned how to plant and care for vegetation to help it thrive. They chose where to grow their first willow, how far to place a maple from a beech, and how many forget-me-nots would fit near the wooden benches.

In the heart of the school forest, an educational clearing was created that also welcomes hedgehogs, which are common in Poznań’s Fabianowo area. Students built insect habitats - safe places to observe wild bees, beetles, and worms.

"Thanks to the outdoor classroom, we learn about nature without always sitting at our desks. We don’t have to imagine things from textbooks", say Wiwiana, Lea, and Celina, fourth-grade students from SPECTO. "We can go outside and see it all for real. Outdoor lessons feel more like play and rest than school".

"When children learn with their hands, eyes, and hearts - they remember more. Forest LabOOOratory turns the forest into a living lab. Learning through experience ignites curiosity and builds lasting knowledge - naturally and joyfully", explains Dorota Kiersk-Królikowska. "In the Forest LabOOOratory, children explore, observe, touch, smell, and ask questions. It’s not a class, it’s an adventure".

An investment in education. Benefits for all

Kids` dreams are one thing, but making them real takes money. InPost stepped in through its InPost Green City program, which funded the creation of the Forest LabOOOratory.

"We’re here to create a new educational space with the children - a place to meet, talk about nature, and also hold lessons", says Paula Rapiej-Kaczmarczyk, educational project manager at InPost. "Through our EduStrefa program, we’ve been visiting Polish cities for two years, talking with residents about how to act together for our local environment. It worked beautifully in Poznań. I planted a willow myself!"


"Investing in education benefits everyone. I’m glad that businesses recognize the value of supporting children`s development, needs, and passions", notes Mateusz Krajewski, president of the Ogólnopolski Operator Oświaty Foundation. "InPost shows that responsible business is about more than profits. It’s about caring for our future - contributing to real change. Children gain practical knowledge, learn responsibility, and grow the skills they’ll need tomorrow. We’re grateful for this shared project".

A recipe for an inspiring school

Specto School in Poznań is no random location. Sixteen years ago, it faced closure. Too few students, only 70% of the needed budget, and a building in disrepair. At parents’ request, the Ogólnopolski Operator Oświaty Foundation took over the 200-year-old school in Fabianowo and chose innovation.

"Education can be an adventure. It doesn’t have to be dull like an old chalkboard - it can be colorful, vibrant, and full of motion", says Dorota Kiersk-Królikowska. "Forest LabOOOratory fits perfectly with our imaginative approach to school. This is how we want to teach - and how we teach".

"Great organization, a committed team, and creativity in building educational programs are now valuable assets and a major advantage in today’s education market. We’re proud of our preschools and schools", adds Mateusz Krajewski. "Education must follow the changing world. It should engage and inspire. Our schools show how it’s done. I hope schools across Poland will draw from this example".

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The Ogólnopolski Operator Oświaty Foundation has been active in education and social programs since 2001, supporting local governments in delivering educational projects. The foundation is a public benefit organization. It operates free preschools and schools across Poland. Today, 9,000 children and teenagers attend the 69 institutions run by the OOO Foundation. The foundation also carries out nationwide educational, social, and development initiatives: #MAMYNATORADĘ. Guides for parents • Speech therapist in every school and preschool • #LabOOOratory. Create innovations with us.