By Maria Figueiredo and Valter Alves, Instituto Politecnico de Viseu
The GREENCODE project fosters environmental awareness and promotes the use of educational robotics in Early Childhood Education. To support teachers and teacher educators, the project has developed a range of pedagogical tools, including an Activity Book grounded in Inquiry-Based Learning and a Higher Education Curriculum designed to be implemented through adaptable Lesson Plans.
A unique and engaging output of the GREENCODE project is the “Dream City” set of cards. This resource was created to align with the project’s goals by harnessing one of the most powerful tools for learning: storytelling. Recognized across cultures and throughout history, storytelling is a highly effective strategy in Early Childhood Education. It fosters imagination, emotional engagement, and cognitive development—making complex or abstract ideas accessible and meaningful for young learners.
In the context of environmental education, storytelling enables children to explore pressing ecological issues and envision creative, solution-oriented responses. Through narrative, children begin to understand the importance of caring for the planet and they discover their potential roles in promoting environmental stewardship. By crafting and sharing stories, children are encouraged to think critically about sustainability, identify real-world challenges, and collaboratively imagine a better future.
The “Dream City” cards are designed to spark imagination and dialogue. Each card features a visual cue intended to inspire storytelling, but the direction and content of the narrative are shaped entirely by the players—their perspectives, experiences, and environmental concerns. The ultimate objective is to build a Dream City—a shared vision of a sustainable, inclusive, and collaborative community where environmental challenges are addressed creatively and cooperatively.
The characters depicted in the deck include children, robots, and animals, encouraging diverse viewpoints. Research shows that storytelling approaches incorporating animism—where non-human characters are given human-like qualities—can significantly enhance children’s environmental knowledge and positively influence their attitudes.
The set is flexible and can be used in a variety of ways: individually or in groups, with selected or randomly chosen cards, and across different combinations of categories. It is recommended that storytelling sessions begin with the familiar prompt “Once upon a time…” and conclude with a vision of a Dream City, imagined by the players. Each card belongs to a specific category—Spaces, Animal Characters, Robot Characters, Human Characters, Environmental Problems, Solutions: Actions, and Solutions: Objects—and includes suggested content. However, interpretation is left open to support creative expression and learner agency.
Discussion is a key component of the activity. Talking about what is seen, imagined, or understood enriches the storytelling process and deepens the learning experience. Children are also encouraged to incorporate elements from their own lives and surroundings, grounding their stories in real-world contexts.
To extend engagement further, children can create drawings or use physical objects to represent characters, settings, or plot elements from their stories. These visual and tactile additions add depth to the narrative experience. Drawings can even be transformed into new cards, expanding the set and giving children a sense of authorship and ownership within the storytelling world. Robots, in particular, are ideal companions for this activity, integrating play, narrative, and educational technology.
We invite you to enjoy the Dream City cards—and share the inspiring stories you and your learners create. What does your Dream City look like?