ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the background to outdoor education in the Czech Republic and an introduction to Vacation School Lipnice, whose courses have for 25 years provided opportunity for personal development, using an holistic approach involving a range of challenges other than physical. Comenius believed in educating the whole person, similar to today’s holistic education concepts. He recognised the importance of travelling as a means of completing youth education and also supported the use of ‘games’ and ‘play’ in achieving educational outcomes. The Nazi occupation and Second World War interrupted these developments. Although social life and the activities of all pre-war organisations were quickly restored after the war, the Communist Party took over power in 1948 and the Soviet influence began to spread throughout all spheres of life. Comenius concluded that a learning process began and ended with experience and that teaching and learning must be interconnected with experience in nature and must prepare for life itself.
