Design for Early Childhood: Health, Play, and Learning

This year’s Institute is focused on early childhood. The goal is to raise awareness about the role of the outdoors for early childhood healthy development and to offer innovative ideas and concepts for participants to implement.

Program

The 9th Annual Design Institute combined presentations by leading professionals in the fields of early childhood and design, and outdoor hands-on activities. The program offered innovative ideas and concepts for participants to implement in their own child care settings.

Outdoor, hands-on activities were organized on the grounds of the NC Botanical Garden on Thursday and Friday afternoons. Participants learned innovative ways to entice preschool physical activity, to see examples of how the designed environment engages children in outdoor play, and to see the many ways outdoor activity supports healthy development.

Speakers

Rebecca Brouwer, MS, Project Director, Dept. of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center. Watch Me Grow.

Nilda Cosco, PhD, Education Specialist, The Natural Learning Initiative. Preventing Obesity By Design: Lessons Learned.* (lecture video not given for online use)

Diane H. Craft, PhD, Professor of Physical Education, State University of New York. Purposeful Play – Early Childhood Movement Activities on a Budget.

David Gardner, D.A., Executive Director, N.C. Center for Health & Wellness. The Importance of Statewide Initiatives.* (lecture video not given for online use)

Teri Hendy, President, Site Masters, Inc (design and safety consultants). Safety Versus Play Value?* (lecture video not given for online use)

Elizabeth Lake, Executive Director, First Environments Early Learning Center. Play Around the World Panel.* (lecture video not given for online use)

Dona McNeill, MPA, Employee Services Manager, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Play Around the World Panel.* (lecture video not given for online use)

Robin Moore, Dipl.Arch, MCP, Director, Natural Learning Initiative. Welcome

Richard Rairigh, Director of Programs and Early Childhood Development, BeActive North Carolina, Inc. Play Around the World Panel.* (lecture video not given for online use)

Debbie Roos, NC Agricultural Extension Agent, Chatham County Cooperative Extension Center. Please Design My Garden with Flowers, but No Bees.* (lecture video not given for online use)

Philip Waters, Play Program Coordinator, the Eden Project, Cornwall, UK. Muddy Shorts – Supporting Disabled Children in Adventurous Play

Comments and Discussion on Morning Presentations
from College of Design @ NCSU.

Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) Project Showcase.
Smart Start of Buncombe County
Children and Youth Partnership for Dare County
Randolph County Partnership for Children