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...
Birds and Bird Habitat
Leaflets NLI Birds and Bird Habitat Download the PDF - English Science Knowledge & Skills refers to the emerging ability to gather information about the natural and physical world and organize that information into knowledge and theories. Young children are often...
Ball Play and Experiences
Leaflets NLI Ball Play and Experiences Download the PDF - English Physical development using balls includes physical well-being, use of the body, muscle control, and motor development. These physical tasks and skills are foundational to young children’s learning....
Oakland Declaration
The Nature-Based Learning Network gathering at the Children & Nature Network International Leadership Summit provided an opportunity to create an international declaration on nature-based learning.
Preschool Gardening Activity Guide
The Gardening Activity Guide is designed to expose young children to seasonal fruit and vegetable gardening in childcare centers. Based on the Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) model, the guide…
NLI Online Certificate Programs
Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments was developed with early childhood professionals in mind and Designing Early Childhood Outdoor Environments was developed for design…
COVID Support we’re all in this together!
Early childhood outdoor play and learning resources.
Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day! Check out these activities that you can do at home to celebrate.
Fairy Villages
Leaflets NLI Fairy Villages Download the PDF - English Fairy villages are homes for elves, fairies, and other beings of children’s imagination. They provide enchanted places that stimulate creative, dramatic play in make believe settings. Creating a fairy village...
Creating Bird Feeders with Recycled Materials
Infosheet NLI Creating Bird Feeders with Recycled Materials Bird feeders can increase the natural diversity of outdoor learning environments and provide opportunities for children to observe birds from their classroom windows or outside. Children can create their own...
20th Anniversary NLI Design Institute
We are happy to announce that the Design Institute will be held virtually on March 25-26, 2021.
Happy Holidays! 2019
Happy Holidays from the Natural Learning Initiative! Join us as we celebrate 20 years of nature play and learning with our Christmas postcard.
NLH January
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® January To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF Descarga El PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Painting with Nature’s Paintbrush Help children create their own...
NLH February
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® February To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Make a Nature Mandala To make a mandala all you need is a little...
NLH March
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® March To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Sink or Float To appeal to the natural curiosity in your child, conduct an...
NLH April
Newsletter NLI Natural Learning at Home® April To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Insect Safari Spring is here and what a great time to explore life in your garden! Now is...
NLH May
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® May To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Animal and Nature Yoga Yoga is a great exercise and a fun way for children to...
NLH June
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® June To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Obstacle Course Using available materials, create an attractive obstacle...
NLH July
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® July To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Color Hunt in Nature A fun way to spend a hot summer day is to go on a color...
NLH August
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® August To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Cooking With Nature Imaginative play can be a lot of fun for all who are...
NLH September
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® September To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Apple Twister Get ready to monkey around! A fun spin on the classic...
NLH October
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® October To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF ACTIVITY: Leaf Rubbings Collect leaves of different shapes and sizes from the outdoor learning environment....
NLH November
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® November To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Acorn Throwing Use the plethora of acorns that have fallen this fall to...
NLH December
Natural Learning at Home® NLI Natural Learning at Home® December To view other newsletters in the Natural Learning at Home series, click here Download the PDF DESCARGA EL PDF - ESPAÑOL ACTIVITY: Penguin Waddle For the penguin waddle, make this engaging activity a fun...
Halifax Community College: CADA Head Start
POD 4 NLI Phase one of implementation is complete. The fence line was moved to expand the OLE and old play equipment has been removed. Site work and grading has been done to remove excess sand and rubber tire mulch. New installations include project area deck, outdoor...
