Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2026 Newsletter
Green Hands, Cool Schools- Nature, Values and European Friendship by Ionela Camelia Lazea
Early childhood education has the unique power to shape not only children ' s knowledge but also their attitudes, values, and the way they understand the world around them. While environmental education is becoming increasingly important across Europe, helping young children develop kindness, empathy, responsibility, cooperation, and respect for nature is equally essential. These ideas became the foundation of the eTwinning project " Green Hands, Cool Schools – Nature-Based Adventures for Kids ", a European initiative that transformed environmental education into a meaningful journey of discovery, creativity, and international friendship.
As a co-founder of the project, together with the Greek founder of the project, Kalliopi-Lina Kynigopoulou from Kindergarten no. 32 in Thessaloniki, I had the opportunity to contribute to its educational vision, monthly activities, collaborative products, and international coordination. More than a project about nature, Green Hands, Cool Schools became a learning community where children, teachers, and families worked together to build greener school environments while developing the values and competencies needed in today ' s society.
The project brought together approximately 200 preschool children and ten teachers from six kindergartens located in Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia. The pupils from the middle group B Little Bunnies, my group colleague and I were the representatives for our kindergarten and also for our country in this project.
Throughout the school year, each month focused on a different environmental theme connected to Nature-Based Solutions( NBS), allowing children to explore nature through hands-on
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