Landscapes for Learning are educational playsets created by Craig Hill. They offer a wide “range of quality, affordable, outdoor equipment” (Landscapes for Learning). Their products include balance beams, shepherd’s hut, outdoor classrooms, wooden percussion instruments and more. Craig’s objective is to get kids off their screens and outdoors to play.
Landscapes for Learning
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I would invest in this company for a number of reasons. I thought Craig’s pitch was quite good! Craig clarified the gap that his product was addressing – children spend too much time indoors, so he has created a product that will get them outdoors. This is such a huge problem in today’s world, and it is awesome that he has created a product that will actually get them excited to be outdoors. One area that I struggled with is differentiation. What is the difference between his product and a playground product? However, I think his passion and his knowledge makes the difference. His products are hand-made, and he is looking at them from an educational perspective. From a marketing perspective, he has well-established himself amongst schools. He gets most of his clients from referrals. Plus, parents are seeing the products, so he doesn’t need much marketing to be successful, and he made that clear. He seems like a competent and knowledgable teacher, so I think this is a huge plus amongst competitors. I think Craig is asking for a reasonable investment of 50,000 for 15% of this company. Also, every order is about $2000-5000, so investors can be quickly compensated. I think with a little more marketing and getting a handle on production, as he creates most of the products himself, which isn’t viable if he has a high number of orders, this investment will pay off quickly, and actually fill the pockets!! This is a definite yes for me.
I too would invest in Landscapes for Learning. In fact, much of my studies through the MET program is how to get students using less screen time and using their critical thinking, design and engineering skills in team-based learning activities. During the pitch, one of the investors says to Craig, “the schools are coming to you.” This demonstrates the demand that his product already has in the education space. A product already in high demand could use investment money to fund the production and export of products and help to improve production pace & cost and decrease turnaround time. Although I feel the space is one that can be easily replicated, building a positive reputation with high quality products can help to ensure customer satisfaction, high product ratings and repeat customers. I believe the potential for future growth in the company is immense with an endless array of designs that can be constructed to attract specific grade levels, skill development and a worldwide customer reach. Landscapes for Learning can also increase profits through creative add-ons that can create endless learning opportunities.
Yes I would invest in this venture. Having working in a few different elementary school, two of which went through a design process for creating an outdoor classroom I think there is definitely a market for this type of product. His pitch was engaging and had the potential investors interested and experimenting with his products. There was some ambiguity about what products he was creating, he mentioned a mud kitchen which would be a fun activity for Kindergarten students. There is a big push to have students learning outside and engaging more with nature, spending less time looking at a screen, this venture is an opportunity to make that possible. His educational background adds a lot of expertise to this venture and creating products that fit with the developmental needs of young children. There is also a market for these products outside of school and in community parks, many within my own city are developing interactive play areas that have musical instruments and tools.
I would invest in the venture Landscapes for Learning based on this pitch. I feel that Craig was able to quickly and effectively make the following details clear:
– his experience: his background as an educator, his ability as a carpenter (clearly apparent in the examples)
– his drive: his very notable passion for this venture and his perseverance in overcoming difficult circumstances
– the need: kids are spending too much time in front of screens, the value of learning through play, the value of spending time outdoors
– the marketing: the equipment advertises itself and schools contact him, no further advertising had been necessary
He had all of the key numbers ready to share, making it very clear to potential investors how much he was asking for and what kind of return they could expect. Craig’s future goal for his venture was also clearly and concisely shared in his hopes to become the go-to name in the industry and the name that pops into a person’s head the moment they think of outdoor learning equipment.
With the recent increased interest in outdoor learning spaces and hands-on, experiential learning, I agree that there is a market for this product. I would be interested, as a potential investor, to learn more about the range of products Craig offers (he mentioned 90, with more being designed) to understand how they might appeal to older children, as well.
Yes I would invest in this
I think Craig had a great pitch, he was personable, had a story but knew his information and came off very confident. His background in education also gives me confidence that he has some working knowledge of learning and education. His concept has originality and he did a good job of describing the gaps the product addresses. With the information on amounts sold as well as the fact he hasn’t had to go and pitch his ideas to sell the product leads me to believe there is a market for his products. The proposition does not seems risky and Craig has an idea of what he wants to do to move his product forward.
I would invest in this venture, not only for its capital return potential but for the societal value and the personal investment of the presenter. The fact that his business model is proven, that it is already productive and that its success thus far has been without active marketing is impressive. I’m aware of the current movement towards hands-on learning, and the value of outdoor education, and I’m very sold on a company that enables schools to set themselves up and provide this experience for the students. His organization, numbers, and personal drive to make the venture succeed are highly effective selling points. I’m in.
Landscapes for Learning is a go!
I would invest in this business. I like that it is designed by an actual teacher. Not only do the sets encourage outdoor learning but also it encourages social play amongst children. Social play is very important as it teaches cooperation, sharing, and sometimes teamwork. In terms of the business specifics, he has built a business model that works. Any investor wouldn’t have a hard time marketing this product as the schools come to him directly. Given the right number of resources in terms of manufacturing and marketing, this business has the potential to grow.
Yes, I would invest in Landscapes for Learning.
Using this week’s pitch criteria, Craig effectively addressed several of the key facets that EVAs look for. The pain point was clear: children are spending increasing amounts of time indoors and on screens, while schools are looking for meaningful outdoor learning experiences. His solution was equally clear. Durable, educational outdoor learning environments designed by an educator who understands how children learn.
What particularly stood out to me was the championship facet. Craig’s background as both a teacher and a builder gave him strong credibility. Rather than presenting a theoretical solution, he had already developed products, secured customers, and demonstrated market demand. As an EVA, I find evidence of adoption far more persuasive than future projections.
This venture also connects directly to my own experience as a Junior Kindergarten teacher. Some of the richest learning I observe happens when students are outdoors, building, exploring, collaborating, and interacting with open-ended materials. Through our Outdoor Education (OEE) programming, nature-based learning experiences, and outdoor play spaces, I regularly see students develop communication, problem-solving, self-regulation, and creativity in ways that are difficult to replicate through screens. Because I see the educational value of these experiences firsthand, I can easily envision both the need for and the impact of products like those Craig has developed.
The venture also demonstrated strong market readiness. Schools were already purchasing the products and generating referrals, suggesting the business had moved beyond the idea stage. While many pitches rely heavily on future possibilities, Craig was able to point to existing customers and revenue.
I do see some risks. The venture appears closely tied to Craig’s personal expertise and craftsmanship, which could create challenges as the business scales. I would have liked to hear more about how production, distribution, and growth would be managed if demand increased significantly.
I also found myself wondering about the long-term sustainability of the product. In my own experience, I have seen several “natural” playgrounds and outdoor learning spaces deteriorate over time as wood rots, structures weather, and components require replacement. As an investor, I would be interested in learning more about the long-term maintenance plan. Is there an opportunity for recurring revenue through inspections, repairs, replacement parts, upgrades, or modular additions that allow schools to expand their spaces over time? Building the initial learning environment is valuable, but creating an ongoing relationship with schools may be equally important to the venture’s long-term success.
Overall, this pitch presented a credible founder, a proven market need, existing customers, and a realistic growth opportunity. Unlike many educational technology ventures that can quickly be disrupted by emerging technologies such as AI, the demand for outdoor play, experiential learning, and well-designed physical learning environments seems likely to remain relevant for years to come. For those reasons, this would be a yes from me.
Yes I would invest in this product.
First of all, I think the reason for the pitch is easy to stand behind. He wants to provide more opportunities for students to be outside while learning through play.
According to his pitch, he developed his product in consultation with teachers (and was a teacher himself), has a growing arrangement of around 90 learning tools, and has had success releasing the products so far.
The ask in the beginning of 15% stake for 50,000 pounds became 30% by the end of the video. I think it is a strong concept for a good purpose.
I think there’s still a large addressable market which can still be connected to, so for Dragon’s Den, I think it would be a good opportunity for a Dragon to provide key insights and direction for the company in exchange for stake in the company.