Director of Programs, Natural Learning Initiative

Nilda Cosco, PhD, is Director of Programs at NLI, Research Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, and former Director of the Center for Universal Design. She is responsible for the conceptualization and management of NLI comprehensive projects, design programming, research of outdoor environments for children with and without disabilities, and evaluation programs applied to outdoor play and learning environments for children, including those with special needs.  She is also responsible for establishing professional development certificates and activities for designers, educators, and community members interested in creating high quality outdoor environments for children and families, development of printed and online dissemination materials, and coordination of state-wide comprehensive projects (design, environmental intervention, training, and evaluation) including Preventing Obesity by Design (POD).

Dr. Cosco holds a degree in Educational Psychology from Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina and a Ph.D. in Landscape Architecture from Heriot Watt University/Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland. Her primary research interest is the impact of outdoor environments on child and family health outcomes such as healthy nutrition, active lifestyles, attention functioning, and overall wellbeing, particularly as they relate to natural components of the built environment. She is principal investigator (PI) for the USDA-NIFA randomized controlled trial Childcare Outdoor Learning Environments as Active Food Systems: Effectiveness of the Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) Gardening Component.

Prior to NLI, Nilda was director of the National Lekotek Center, Buenos Aries, serving children with special needs, and consultant to a similar facility in Säo Paulo, Brazil. She was a member of the eight-country Growing Up in Cities (GUIC) action research project sponsored by UNESCO, and co-director of the Buenos Aires project with Professor Moore. She was former Vice President for the Latin American International Association for the Child’s Right to Play (now International Play Association, IPA). Prior to launching NLI, Dr. Cosco and Professor Moore collaborated with Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, contributing their knowledge of outdoor play environments to innovative design projects such as Teardrop Park, Battery Park City, NYC; Union Square, NYC; Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, NYC; A Gathering Place for Tulsa, OK; and the Smith Family Waterfront, Boston Children’s Museum, and the adjacent Martin’s Park in Boston.

Nilda spent her early childhood living with her grandparents in Mercedes, a typical provincial city in the “big sky” Pampa region of Argentina, where she learned to fish with her Italian heritage grandfather in a boat created in her name. At age seven, she moved with her parents to the big city of Buenos Aires, where contact with nature was provided by the vegetated patios and balconies of high-rise apartments and the great parks and urban plazas of the city.

Trina NA, Monsur M, Cosco N, Shine S, Loon L, Mastergeorge A. How Do Nature-Based Outdoor Learning Environments Affect Preschoolers’ STEAM Concept Formation? A Scoping Review. Education Sciences. 2024; 14(6):627. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060627

Monsur M, Hefner T, Van Allen J, Trina NA, Andalib SY, Cosco N. Effects of Childcare Hands-On Gardening on Preschoolers’ (3–5 Years) Physical Activity in Semi-Arid Climate Zone. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(5):548. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050548

Wells NM, Cosco NG, Hales D, Monsur M, Moore RC. Gardening in Childcare Centers: A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining Effects of a Garden Intervention on Physical Activity Among Children Aged 3-5 Years in North Carolina. (2023) Int J Environ Res Public Health, Natural and Built Environments and Children’s Health. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20115939

Cosco, N. G., Wells, N. M., Zhang, D., Goodell, L. S., Monsur, M., Xu, T., & Moore, R. C. (2022). Hands-on childcare garden intervention: A randomized controlled trial to assess effects on fruit and vegetable identification, liking, and consumption among children aged 3-5  years in North Carolina. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 993637.

Cosco NG, Wells NM, Monsur M, Goodell LS, Zhang D, Xu T, Hales D, Moore RC. Research Design, Protocol, and Participant Characteristics of COLEAFS: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of a Childcare Garden Intervention. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 10;18(24):13066.

Cosco N, Moore R. Creating Inclusive Naturalized Outdoor Play Environments. In: Tremblay RE, Boivin M, Peters RDeV, eds. Brussoni M, topic ed. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online] Published May 2019. Accessed May 7, 2019.

Moore R, Cosco N. Early Childhood Outdoor Play and Learning Spaces(ECOPALS):Achieving Design Quality. In: Tremblay RE, Boivin M, Peters RDeV, eds. Brussoni M, topic ed. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [Online]. http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/outdoor-play/according-experts/early-childhood-outdoor-play­and-learning-spaces-ecopals-achieving. Published May 2019.

Cosco, N. and Moore, R. (2019). Impact of Naturalized Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments: Research Brief. The Natural Learning Initiative. NC State University.

Cosco, N. and Moore, R. (2018). Improving the Quality of Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments: Implementation Manual. Natural Learning Initiative, NC State University.

Mitchell, C., Moore, R., Cosco, N. (2015). Growing and Cooking Fruits and Vegetables at Childcare Centers. LF-007-01. Raleigh: North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

Moore, R., Cosco, N., Konradi, S., Archer, M. (2015). Creating Childcare Center Production Gardens. LF-007-02. Raleigh: North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

Cosco, N. and Moore, R. (2014). (Eds.). The Outdoor Learning Environment Toolkit. Natural Learning Initiative, North Carolina State University.

Boldemann, C.; Sördeström, M; Mårtensson, F; Moore, R; Cosco, N; Bieber, B; Pagels, P; Raustorp, A; Wester, U. The Health-Promoting Potential of Preschool Outdoor Environments: Linking Research to Policy in Lindsay, G and Morhayim, L (Eds) Revisiting “Social Factors”: Advancing Research Into People and Place. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 2015

Moore, R. and Cosco, N. Growing Up Green: Naturalization as Health Promotion Strategy in Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments. Children, Youth & Environments Journal. October 2014.

Smith W., Moore R., Cosco N., Jennifer Wesoloski J., Danninger T., Ward, D., Trost S., and Ries N. Increasing Physical Activity in Childcare Outdoor Learning Environments: The Effect of Setting Adjacency Relative to Other Built Environment and Social Factors. Environment and Behavior Online First, September 25, 2014. doi:10.1177/0013916514551048

Cosco, N., Moore, R., Smith, W. (2014). Childcare Outdoor Renovation as a Built Environment Health Promotion Strategy: Evaluating the Preventing Obesity by Design Intervention. AmJHealthPromotion. 28(3) Supp:27-32.

Perver K. Baran, William R. Smith, Robin C. Moore, Myron F. Floyd, Jason N. Bocarro, Nilda G. Cosco, and Thomas M. Danninger. Park Use Among Youth and Adults: Examination of Individual, Social, and Urban Form Factors Environment and Behavior. 7 January 2013.

Nature Play at Home: A guide for boosting your Children’s Healthy Development and Creativity. Contributor. Natural Learning Initiative publication. 2012.

Refshauge^, A., Stigsdotter U., Cosco N. Adults’ motivation for bringing their children to park playgrounds. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. Available online 11 July 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2012.06.002

Bocarro, J. N., Floyd, M. F., Moore, R., Baran, P., Danninger, T., Smith, W. & Cosco, N. 2009. “Adaptation of the System For Observing Physical Activity and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) to Assess Age Groupings of Children.” Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6:6, 699-707.

Boldemann, C., Dal, H., Mårtensson, F., Cosco, N., Moore, R., Bieber, B., Söderström, M. (2011). Preschool outdoor play environment may combine promotion of children’s physical activity and sun protection. Further evidence from Southern Sweden and North Carolina. Science and Sports, 26(2011), 72-82.

Raustorp, A. Boldemann, C., Cosco, N., Söderstrom, M Mårtensson F. (2011). Accelerometer Measured Level of Physical Activity Indoors and Outdoors During Preschool time in Sweden and the United States. J. Physical Activity and Health.

Cosco, N. and Moore, R. Behaviour Mapping for Designing Healthy Outdoor Environments for Children and Families: Conceptual Framework, Procedures, and Applications. In Ward Thompson, C. and Bell, S. (Eds), Innovative Approaches to Research Excellence in Landscape and Health. London: Taylor & Francis. 2010

Cosco, N., Moore R., Islam Z. Behavior Mapping: A Method for Linking Preschool Physical Activity and Outdoor Design. Med Sci Sports Exerc.March 2010; 42(3): pp 513-519. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181cea27a.

Moore, R. with The Natural Learning Initiative Team. (2009). Creating and Retrofitting Play Environments: Designing Play Environments that Integrate Manufactured Play Equipment with the Living Landscape. Best Practice Guidelines. Chattanooga, TN: PlayCore. Contributor.

Bocarro, J. N., Floyd, M. F., Moore, R., Baran, P., Danninger, T., Smith, W. & Cosco, N. (2009). “Adaptation of the System for Observing Physical Activity and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) to Assess Age Groupings of Children.” Jnl Physical Activity & Health, 6:6, 699-707.

Cosco, N. and Moore, R. (2009). Sensory Integration and Contact with Nature: Designing Outdoor Inclusive Environments. North American Montessori Teachers Association. NAMTA Journal.