Resources from Toxic Free NC
The Green Desk NLI Resources from Toxic Free NC Toxic Free NC, a non-profit organization advocating for human and environmental health since 1986, offers many resources for child-care providers and parents of young children. One of their major program initiatives,...
Plant of the Month: September – American Sweetgum
The Green Desk NLI Plant of the Month: September – American Sweetgum American Sweetgum (Liquidambar Styraciflua Rotundiloba) Native range: Southeastern U.S. Hardiness Zone: US 6-9 Sun: Full Sun Plant habit: Deciduous Tree Water requirement: Medium The American...
PlayDaze for Engaging Outdoor Activity
PlayDaze began in 2011, as an initiative of the Early Childhood Active Play Alliance. This Alliance focuses on practical efforts for improving the health of young children in North Carolina through playful experiences, particularly opportunities for unstructured, free play.
Plant of the Month: April – Redbud
The Green Desk NLI Plant of the Month: April – Redbud Redbud (Cercis canadensis) Native range: Eastern U.S. Hardiness Zone: US 4-8 Sun: Full Sun to Shade Plant Habit: Small tree Water requirement: Medium Amidst the many hues of spring, redbuds add another layer...
Plant of the Month: March – Winter Jasmine
The Green Desk NLI Plant of the Month: March – Winter Jasmine Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) Native range: Northern China Hardiness Zone: US 6-10 Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade Plant Habit: Vine Water requirement: Medium Bursting from winter’s stillness comes...
Plant of the Month: November – Indian Grass
The Green Desk NLI Plant of the Month: November – Indian Grass Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) Native range: Eastern U.S. Hardiness Zone: US 3-9 Sun: Full Sun Plant Habit: Grass Water requirement: Low Imagine it is early morning and you are sitting near a...
Trail Mix Activity Leaflet
The Green Desk NLI Trail Mix Activity Leaflet Activity: Making Trail Mix Focus of Activity: Healthy Eating Activity Setting: Tasting Station Curricular Area: Health and Physical Development Language Development and Communication As children make their own trail...
Gardening with Young Children Resources
The NC Cooperative Extension covers creating a childcare garden, growing and preparing fruits and vegetables, and composting.
Designing Green Urban Carolina Childhoods: Theory and Practice
Publications NLI Designing Green Urban Carolina Childhoods: Theory and Practice Author: Moore, Robin. Download the PDF With distant roots in work conducted when the author was an urban planning student, scientific research and design assistance in children’s...
Kids Dig Dirt! Green Paper
Publications NLI Kids Dig Dirt! Green Paper Author: Moore, Robin. Download the PDF The Kids Dig Dirt! Green Paper serves as both a resource and a tool for ACM museum members. The paper provides a collection of facts, guidelines and for ward-thinking language that...
Child-Friendly, Active, Healthy Neighborhoods: Physical Characteristics and Children’s Time Outdoors
Relationships between neighborhood built environment characteristics and children’s average time outdoors on weekdays were investigated in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 22 built environment variables, 8 socio-demographic variables, and 1 perceptual variable were tested for their relationship to children’s (N = 109) self-reported average time outdoors on weekdays , measured in minutes. Built environment variables were measured using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based urban form variables and systematic, direct observation. Analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression. Results (p < .01) suggest that additional minutes of children’s average time outdoors on weekdays are associated with availability of adjacent space (23 min), male child (23 min), dead-end instead of through street in front of residence (15 min), perception of neighborhood safety by parents (10 min), one story lower in level of residence floor (3 min), and 1,000 m2 less of total building footprint area within the neighborhood (1 min).
Environmental Interventions for Healthy Development of Young Children in the Outdoors
Publications NLI Environmental Interventions for Healthy Development of Young Children in the Outdoors Author: Cosco, Nilda. Download the PDF Early childhood environmental interventions are needed to counteract the health crisis caused by sedentary lifestyles. In the...
Using Behavior Mapping to Investigate Healthy Outdoor Environments for Children and Families: Conceptual Framework, Procedures and Applications
Research NLI Using Behavior Mapping to Investigate Healthy Outdoor Environments for Children and Families: Conceptual Framework, Procedures and Applications Authors: Cosco, Nilda; & Moore, Robin. This chapter, written by Nilda Cosco and Robin Moore, focuses on a...
Increasing Physical Activity in Childcare Outdoor Learning Environments: The Effect of Setting Adjacency Relative to Other Built Environment and Social Factors
The problem of childhood obesity can be addressed through study of how built environment characteristics can foster physical activity (PA) among preschool children. A sample of 355 behavior settings in 30 childcare center outdoor learning environments (OLEs) was studied using behavioral mapping techniques.
Childcare Outdoor Renovation as a Health Promotion Strategy
Research NLI Childcare Outdoor Renovation as a Health Promotion Strategy Authors: Cosco, Nilda; Moore, Robin; & Smith, William. This article demonstrates that site layout attributes are associated with higher levels of physical activity in childcare settings,...
The Growing Place Child Care Center
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.
Wayne Community College Child Care Center
On the campus of Wayne Community College, this childcare center worked hard to engage children with growing food and engaging with plant life by installing raised beds, a butterfly garden, and other plants within the existing outdoor learning environment.
The Early Learning Center
Located near Uptown Charlotte North Carolina, The Early Learning Center successfully converted their entire outdoor area into a best practice example for outdoor learning environments.
Small Beginnings Child Development Center
Small Beginnings Child Development Center, in Statesville North Carolina, overcame challenges to improve their outdoor space for best practice.
Spanish for Fun Academy
Spanish for Fun Academy, in Chapel Hill North Carolina, is a Spanish immersion childcare center serving the Orange County community.
Robyn’s Nest Creative Learning Center, Inc.
Robyn’s Nest Creative Learning Center, in Pittsboro North Carolina, added many new features to a previously sparse playground.
Mountain Area Child and Family Center
Mountain Area Child and Family Center, located in Asheville near the campus of Warren Wilson College, features a large, professionally designed and installed outdoor learning environment.
Old Fort Elementary Preschool
Old Fort Elementary School Preschool, in Old Fort North Carolina, is a year-round public school near the downtown area.
Miss M’s Tot University
In Jacksonville North Carolina, Miss M’s Tot University began the Shape NC project with the goal of increasing the size of their outdoor space to accommodate best practice interventions.
Kids & Company
Kids and Company is located in Wilmington North Carolina. Previous owners constructed many custom wooden features in the OLE. NLI added value to the existing space, using best practice design principles to guide decision making.
Lulu’s Enrichment Center
Shape NC NLI Lulu’s Enrichment Center Lulu’s Child Enrichment Center is in Taylorsville North Carolina, and is a part of the Mitchell Gold Bob Williams Furniture manufacturing facility. The center is supported by the manufacturing facility and provides childcare...
Intermountain Children’s Place
Intermountain Children’s Place, in Spruce Pine North Carolina, participated in previous Preventing Obesity by Design projects and has an existing outdoor learning environment, designed by NLI.
Friendly Avenue Christian Preschool
Friendly Avenue Christian Preschool, located at Friendly Avenue Baptist Church in Greensboro North Carolina, made significant progress in transforming their outdoors to meet best practice standards.
Haywood Center for the Advancement of Children
Haywood Regional Center for the Advancement of Children is on the campus of Haywood Community College in Clyde North Carolina.
Excel Learning Center #3
Excel Learning Center #3, in Morehead City North Carolina, successfully implemented a large portion of their master plan.
Excel Christian Academy
Excel Christian Academy, in Burlington North Carolina is a preschool and after school program associated with Ebenezer United Church of Christ.
Betsy B. Currin Child Development Center of Nash Community College
Betsy B. Currin Child Development Center is on the campus of Nash Community College in Rocky Mount NC.
Presentation at Mackenzie Presbyterian University in São Paulo, Brazil
NLI > Updates Updates The Natural Learning Initiative’s Robin Moore and Nilda Cosco presented on Designing for the Next Generation of Planetary Lifeguards at Mackenzie Presbyterian University in São Paulo, Brazil on November 28,...
Anson Children’s Center
Anson Children’s Center, in Polkton North Carolina, initiated best practice improvements as a result of the Shape NC initiative.
Alexzandria Walters
Alexzandria (Alex) Walters, BA, is a Research Assistant at NLI, where she contributes to a diverse array of NLI projects. Alex received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from Miami University in Ohio. She’s previously worked as an intern with RSA Architects and Domokur Architects and is currently an MLA student at North Carolina State University.
Alex grew up in Chagrin Falls, Ohio and as a child remembers going to the waterfall in her town and walking along the river. She always loved knowing that a town could be built around such a bold element in nature. By working at NLI, she hopes to help all children be immersed in nature in their everyday lives, just as she experienced.
Yuguo Wu
Yuguo Wu is a research assistant at NLI where she works on data analysis, data visualization, and carrying statistic tests for insights. Yuguo holds a bachelor’s degree in Material Chemistry from Xiangtan University in China. After graduation, she worked for PepsiCo as a data analyst for two years, and now is working toward a Master of Statistics degree from NC State University. Her current research focuses on statistical inference and experimental design.
Yuguo grew up in Yuanjiang, China, and as a child remembers playing with frogs, ants, and butterflies every day after school. As someone who enjoys nature, she understands how important nature-based play is for healthy childhood development.
14th Annual NLI Design Institute
Growing up in close contact with nature, in lush, ever-changing, enticing spaces that motivate exploration and discovery, is critical to the wellbeing of children and planet.
Sir Walter Raleigh Award – Public Service
NLI Sir Walter Raleigh Award – Public Service Beginning and Beyond Child Development Center, participant of the Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) project, along with instructors Carla Delcambre, PLA (Landscape Architecture), Julieta Sherk, PLA (Horticultural...
