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...
POD Wake Co. Gathering and Tour 2016
NLI POD Wake Co. Gathering and Tour 2016 The POD Wake County Gathering and Tour presented a showcase of the progress in creating naturalized childcare center Outdoor Learning Environments (OLEs) in Wake County. Presentations and bus tours to the POD Wake Co...
What Nature Teaches Children
NLI What Nature Teaches Children For TEDxRaleigh 2016 Dr. Nilda Cosco talks about the opportunities the childcare setting offers to provide children with the many benefits of a daily connection with nature. Dr. Cosco was pleased to join a dynamic group of twelve...
Growing IN Place Symposium 2016
NLI Growing IN Place Symposium 2016 Design for Children, Families, and Nature in the City Urban Ecosystems by Design: Every Child Succeeds and Learns to Save the Planet Program Children are born curious and they need to engage with diverse living surroundings to keep...
13th Annual NLI Design Institute
NLI 13th Annual NLI Design Institute The Whole Child In Nature Designing and programming children’s environments for play, learning, and well-being. Learn how naturalized outdoor environments offer children opportunities to engage with the natural world (plants,...
POD3 Mecklenburg Regional Symposium 2015
The Natural Learning Initiative at College of Design, NC State University offered a symposium, Design for Early Childhood Health and Outdoor Learning, to early childhood and associated professionals within and close to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
POD Wake County Gathering and Tour 2015
NLI POD Wake County Gathering and Tour 2015 In 2015, your POD-Wake and Wake County Smart Start colleagues shared their progress in creating rich, developmentally appropriate naturalized OLEs. Technical presentations, showcase displays, and a bus tour to three of eight...
POD3 Western Regional Symposium 2015
NLI POD3 Western Regional Symposium 2015 The Natural Learning Initiative at College of Design, NC State University is offering a one-day symposium, Design for Early Childhood Health and Outdoor Learning, to early childhood professionals within and close to the western...
Growing IN Place Symposium 2015
NLI Growing IN Place Symposium 2015 Green Neighborhood Assets: Streets, Houses, Schools, Parks, Food. Families with children not wanting to move to low-density suburbs need neighborhoods and an urban public realm designed to support culturally diverse, socially...
12th Annual NLI Design Institute
NLI 12th Annual NLI Design Institute Design for Nature Play and Learning Places How to promote physical health and well being for children and families by providing opportunities to connect with nature through play. Program The 12th Annual Design Institute coincided...
POD3 Beaufort Hyde Regional Symposium 2014
NLI POD3 Beaufort Hyde Regional Symposium 2014 The Natural Learning Initiative at College of Design, NC State University offered a one-day symposium, Healthy Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments, to early childhood professionals within and close to...
Growing IN Place Symposium 2014
NLI Growing IN Place Symposium 2014 Neighborhoods for Life Families with children not wanting to move to low-density suburbs need urban neighborhoods and an urban public realm designed to support culturally diverse, socially stimulating, healthy lifestyles. Program...
POD3 Randolph Regional Symposium 2013
NLI POD3 Randolph Regional Symposium 2013 The Natural Learning Initiative at College of Design, NC State University offered a one-day symposium, Healthy Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments, to early childhood professionals within and close to Randolph...
11th Annual NLI Design Institute
NLI 11th Annual NLI Design Institute All About Food: Designing, Gardening, and EatingActivities ranging from sensory exploration to science learning are easily planned in the edible garden, where children understand the food cycle and build the foundation for a...
POD3 Triangle Regional Symposium 2013
NLI POD3 Triangle Regional Symposium 2013 The Natural Learning Initiative at College of Design, NC State University offered a one-day symposium, Healthy Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments, to early childhood professionals within and close to the Triangle...
Growing IN Place Symposium 2013
NLI Growing IN Place Symposium 2013 Intergenerational Urban Design for Children and Families The majority of people live in cities. To encourage new families to embrace urban domestic life, and not move to low-density suburbs, cities need to be designed to support the...
10th Annual NLI Design Institute
NLI 10th Annual NLI Design Institute Designing Living Environments for Children and Other Creatures As we increase nature in children’s outdoor environments, a myriad of creatures are attracted to these restored ecosystems. While many people enjoy plants,...
Growing IN Place Symposium 2012
NLI Growing IN Place Symposium 2012 Parks, Pathways, and Meaningful Destinations More and more people are living in cities. To encourage families to invest in urban domestic life, an infrastructure of attractive, traffic-protected routes is required to connect urban...
9th Annual NLI Design Institute
NLI 9th Annual NLI Design Institute Design for Early Childhood: Health, Play, and Learning This year’s Institute is focused on early childhood. The goal is to raise awareness about the role of the outdoors for early childhood healthy development and to offer...
Growing IN Place Symposium 2011
NLI Growing IN Place Symposium 2011 Creating environments for healthy human development and a healthy biosphere for generations to come. Program Restrictions on children’s independent mobility are having an increasingly negative impact on their healthy...
8th Annual NLI Design Institute
NLI 8th Annual NLI Design Institute Growing Outdoors: A Healthy Start for Early Childhood Innovative ideas and concepts for participants to implement in their own child care settings. Program The 8th Annual Design Institute combined presentations by leading...
Research to Practice: Maximizing Child Outcomes in the Outdoors
NLI Research to Practice: Maximizing Child Outcomes in the Outdoors Early Head Start Reconnecting children to nature and maximizing children’s learning and development for improved child outcomes. Program During a time when expectations are clear that high quality...
Growing IN Place Symposium 2010
NLI Growing IN Place Symposium 2010 Sustainable Urban Design for Children & Families Urban landscape planning and design policies needed to facilitate independent mobility of children. Strategies for managing pedestrian and bicycle routes and the quality of the...
7th Annual NLI Design Institute
NLI 7th Annual NLI Design Institute Natural Play Environments: Designing, Building, and Programming Think back to when you were a child… It is likely some of your fondest memories are of the outdoors. Do you still remember what you used to do outside? Do you...
Playwork IN Nature Training 2009
NLI Playwork IN Nature Training 2009 Playwork IN Nature Training Program The Playwork IN Nature Training Program trained individuals in basic playwork approaches for working with children in institutional and public settings where engagement with nature is the primary...
