Care-O-World Early Learning Center, located in Washington, NC has renovated almost the entirety of their outdoor learning environment to meet best practice standards.

Their first steps began in the infant/toddler space: expanding it to double its previous size, adding sensory plantings, shade trees, low stump seats, cruising rails, a play lawn, a stepping stone pathway, child-size picnic tables, a porch swing, an outdoor classroom deck, and an entry arbor with vines.

After the infant space, the center focused on creating a community garden just outside the infant space, in an existing vacant lawn next to the center parking lot. With assistance from local cooperative extension agents and families from the center community, they installed a water line, plowed the garden into rows, and planted the first crops in summer 2014.

Next, tackling their toddler/two-year-old space, they again expanded the fence line, removed damaged existing trees, created a looping paved wheeled-toy pathway, added a play lawn, a new sand play area, a large pergola over their existing concrete patio, a new storage structure, stump seats, and various tree, shrub, and ornamental grasses.

In addition, the center plans to completely renovate their existing preschool/after school play area, by expanding an existing concrete loop path, expanding the space, adding natural play settings, and installing additional plants and trees.