Ocean literacies in early childhood: outdoor education and learning for sustainability

This publication, Ocean Literacies in Early Childhood: Outdoor Education and Learning for Sustainability, offers an integrated framework to connect Ocean Literacy (OL) and Outdoor Education (OE) within early childhood education (ages 3–6). Rooted in the objectives of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030; hereinafter referred to as the “Ocean Decade”) and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 14: Life Below Water), the toolkit promotes a transdisciplinary and experiential approach. By combining pedagogical, psychological, and scientific perspectives, it aims to foster environmental awareness and emotional connection to marine and aquatic environments—especially through place-based, hands-on experiences. Developed by the IOC, the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, the University of Bologna, and the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, with the support of the Prada Group in the context of the SEA BEYOND project, this publication builds on the experience of The Kindergarten of the Lagoon, an educational case study conducted in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Venice and its lagoon. The project demonstrates how early engagement with blue spaces can strengthen both children’s holistic development and their sense of belonging to the ocean.