Heikinharju Nature Shelter

Heikinharju Luontokoto is a development unit of early childhood education, nature education and STEAM in Oulu. The activities of the Nature Home combine education for a sustainable future, nature education, digital pedagogy and STEAM. The operations of the Development Unit began in 2021 with a government grant for Innovative Learning Environments in Early Childhood Education and Care, and the operations were made permanent as a development unit for early childhood education and care in August 2022. Luontokoto is located in Heikinharju, Timonen, in shared facilities with Timosenkoski Nature School.

Luontokoto organises diverse pedagogical nature education activities for early childhood education units, such as experiential and experiential activity paths and excursions in the vicinity of daycare centres and in the surroundings of Huutilampi. Workshops are organised in Luontokoto's investigative learning space, Oivaltamo. The aim of the activities is to strengthen the children's and staff's relationship with nature and outdoor learning and to support exploratory phenomenon-based learning in the everyday life of early childhood education through STEAM activities.

Luontokoto organises training and workshops for early childhood education staff to support nature education and the implementation of STEAM activities. In addition, it provides guidance and support for starting and implementing STEAM activities in early childhood education units.

Luontokoto is part of the LYKE network of the Association of Finnish Nature and Environmental Schools and is one of its development centres.