(Wake Co.) Little Believers Academy II
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Wake Co.) Little Believers Academy II Little Believers has added a new infant outdoor learning environment, with a low deck and pergola. They are planning to add raised beds around the deck with sensory plantings soon, as well as...
(Wake Co.) Kiddie Academy Brier Creek
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Wake Co.) Kiddie Academy Brier Creek Kiddie Academy of Brier Creek has transformed an existing shared toddler/preschool area by removing rubber mulch and naturalizing it by adding a large multipurpose lawn and plantings. They also...
(Wake Co.) Discovery Point Heritage
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Wake Co.) Discovery Point Heritage Discovery Point has naturalized their infants/ones area with various plantings and a large raised planter with sensory grasses, perennials and vines along the fence. Soon they will install a...
(Orange Co.) The University Child Care Center
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Orange Co.) The University Child Care Center University Child Care has transformed their infant area into a diverse, engaging outdoor learning environment. They added a multipurpose deck, complete with an outdoor rug, pillows,...
(Orange Co.) Lil Treasures Day Care, Inc.
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Orange Co.) Lil Treasures Day Care, Inc. Lil’ Treasures has transformed their outdoor learning environment by removing two pieces of play equipment and adding a double-looped primary pathway that connects the shared toddler and...
(Orange Co.) Kehillah Jewish Preschool
The Growing Place Child Care Center, located at First Baptist Church in Asheboro North Carolina, offers an example of best practice in outdoor learning environments.
(Orange Co.) Future Scholars Childcare and Development Center
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Orange Co.) Future Scholars Childcare and Development Center Future Scholars has created a vibrant outdoor learning environment (OLE) for their toddlers. They installed a primary pathway for wheeled toys, a large teepee, raised...
(Orange Co.) Community School for People Under 6
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Orange Co.) Community School for People Under 6 Community School for People Under Six transformed an unused area on the side of their building into an engaging new outdoor learning environment for their toddlers. There is a...
(Guilford Co.) Wishview Children’s Center
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Guilford Co.) Wishview Children’s Center Wishview Children’s Center, located in Greensboro, NC plans to improve their infant and toddler spaces. Currently, their infant area is covered in artificial turf, and they would...
(Guilford Co.) Willow Oaks Child Development Center
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Guilford Co.) Willow Oaks Child Development Center Willow Oaks Child Development Center in Greensboro, NC has an infant/toddler space in a courtyard, surrounded by a building on three sides. The entire space is currently...
(Guilford Co.) UNCG – North Drive Childcare Center
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Guilford Co.) UNCG – North Drive Childcare Center The UNC-G Child Care Education Program North Drive location would like to naturalize the area around their existing primary pathway and add settings for gathering and outdoor...
(Guilford Co.) UNCG – Curry Childcare Center
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Guilford Co.) UNCG – Curry Childcare Center UNC-G Child Care Education Program – Curry Building provides childcare on UNC-G’s campus. The existing infant space at this location is not connected to the building. In order to...
(Guilford Co.) UNCG – Brent Woodson Carter Center
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Guilford Co.) UNCG – Brent Woodson Carter Center UNC-G Child Care Education Program – Carter Center serves children on UNC-G’s campus. The site has a large concrete area, which the center is planning to convert into a...
(Guilford Co.) Shepherd’s Way Day School
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Guilford Co.) Shepherd’s Way Day School Shepherd’s Way Day School serves infants up to school-age children in Colfax, NC. As a part of the Healthy Starts Infant/Toddler grant, they would like to create an area within the toddler...
(Guilford Co.) Macedonia Child Development Center
Healthy Starts: Infants/Toddlers NLI (Guilford Co.) Macedonia Child Development Center Macedonia Child Development Center, located in Greensboro, NC, hopes to start serving infants soon, in addition to the infants and preschoolers, who currently attend the center. ...
LET’S GET OUTSIDE!
Early childhood outdoor play and learning resources.
A National Research Agenda Supporting Green Schoolyard Development and Equitable Access to Nature
Research NLI A National Research Agenda Supporting Green Schoolyard Development and Equitable Access to Nature Authors: Stevenson, Kathryn; Moore, Robin; Cosco, Nilda; Floyd, Myron; Sullivan, William; Brink, Lois; Gerstein, Dana; Jordan, Cathy; & Zaplatosch,...
Using Our Senses
Leaflets NLI Using Our Senses Download the PDF - English Herbs are stimulating natural elements used for children’s hands-on learning. Using herbs children have the opportunity to apply their senses to explore not only the properties of the plants, but to understand...
Trail Mix
Leaflets NLI Trail Mix Download the PDF - English As children make their own trail mix, they learn about different types of healthy foods. They also become more familiar with vocabulary relating to different types of food (nuts, dried fruit, seeds, grains) and with...
The Farm
Leaflets NLI The Farm Download the PDF - English Creative arts such as drama and pretend play allow for creative and imaginative expression. The creative arts engage children’s minds, bodies, and senses. Creative play activities invite children to listen, observe,...
Sorting Our Seasons
Leaflets NLI Sorting Our Seasons Download the PDF - English Creating hands-on activities encourages learning and enhancement of children’s development. For this activity, children have the opportunity to categorize items associated with specific seasons, build their...
Scarecrow
Leaflets Scarecrow Download the PDF - English As children work to create a scarecrow for the orchard, they learn several new vocabulary words including orchard, scarecrow, scare, and crop. By naming their scarecrow, they’re also introduced to how spoken and written...
Pumpkin Seeds
Leaflets NLI Pumpkin Seeds Download the PDF - English When roasted and lightly salted, pumpkin seeds have a nutty flavor. They are also nutritious, providing a rich source of protein and vitamins. Roast pumpkin seeds in the fall to celebrate the season–pumpkins can be...
Puddle Play
Leaflets NLI Puddle Play Download the PDF - English Parents and teachers know that few experiences delight children more than water play. It is important for even very young children to experience water play and begin to understand the characteristics of water. This...
Pebble Play
Leaflets NLI Pebble Play Download the PDF - English Mathematics and language skills are fundamental to children’s readiness for school. Practice, progress, and success in acquiring these early skills are highly predictive of later academic achievement in multiple...
Leaf Necklaces
Leaflets NLI Leaf Necklaces Download the PDF - English Learning Objective: As a stimulating exercise, threading leaf necklaces strengthens children’s fine motor skills and builds their hand-eye coordination. This activity encourages children to practice their...
Ice Painting
Leaflets NLI Ice Painting Download the PDF - English Learning about water and ice is age-appropriate activity that stimulates children’s senses and enhances their fine motor skills through creative design. Making artwork encourages young children to practice hand-eye...
Harvest Time
Leaflets NLI Harvest Time Download the PDF - English Gardening with young children is one of the best ways to get them interested in healthy eating and where food comes from. Gardening activities also foster STEAM skills and language development as children observe,...
Garden Yoga
Leaflets NLI Garden Yoga Download the PDF - English Physical exercise is a great way to promote growth and development. By engaging in whole-body movement, children can express themselves and develop crucial motor control skills. This simple but captivating activity...
Fence Weaving
Leaflets NLI Fence Weaving Download the PDF - English Almost all childcare centers have a chain-link fence around the outdoor play area. Most often, it is used for little other than defining the boundaries for outdoor play. As a standalone component, it is dull,...
Extending Seasons
Leaflets NLI Extending Seasons Download the PDF - English A cold frame is simply a box set on the ground, topped with framed polycarbonate plastic sheeting, greenhouse film, or sometimes glass, usually hinged on the north-facing edge (in the northern hemisphere)....
Let’s Go Outdoors! Webinar
A conversation about childcare outdoor play and learning during the pandemic.
Grow It, Smell It, Eat It
Leaflets NLI Grow It, Smell It, Eat It Download the PDF - English Herbs are special edible plants that can be used to introduce children to new scents and tastes in the garden. Planting herbs and watching them grow can also help children develop an appreciation for...
Garden Path
Leaflets NLI Garden Path Download the PDF - English As children work to create a path through a garden area, they manipulate both heavy and light materials, thus practicing a variety of motor skills. Working around a garden also fosters interest in growing healthy...
Fruit or Vegetable?
Leaflets NLI Fruit or Vegetable? Download the PDF - English As children explore and taste different types of fruits and vegetables, they learn about different types of healthy foods. They also become more familiar with vocabulary relating to different types of food...
Fairy Soup Kitchen
Leaflets NLI Fairy Soup Kitchen Download the PDF - English Fairy soup kitchens encourage outdoor dramatic play, aimed at increasing children’s creative expression and imagination. Creating a fairy soup kitchen represents a unique form of helping expand...
Eating and Sharing
Leaflets NLI Eating and Sharing Download the PDF - English A focus on healthy eating can include the idea that all living creatures need food to survive. Healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are eaten–not just by humans– but by many other living creatures, as...
Launching a low-cost garden in three steps
Resources NLI Launching a low-cost garden in three steps Outdoors with nature is the healthiest place to be, where exuberant play, motivated learning, and gardening fun awaits! In solidarity, NLI offers resources to support families schooling at home, teachers and...
