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Birds

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Protected: Childcare Homes DCDEE Webinar Series

Kids in the Woods at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve

Kids in the Woods at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve

12th Annual Growing IN Place

12th Annual Growing IN Place

National Play Value Plant Database

National Play Value Plant Database

03. Affordable Settings and Components

03. Affordable Settings and Components

12. Arbors, Pergolas, & Trellises

12. Arbors, Pergolas, & Trellises

21. Creating Terrariums

21. Creating Terrariums

26. Wildlife Gardens

26. Wildlife Gardens

27. Attracting Birds to Outdoor Learning Environments

27. Attracting Birds to Outdoor Learning Environments

28. Plants for Outdoor Learning Environments

28. Plants for Outdoor Learning Environments

36. Dry Stream Beds

36. Dry Stream Beds

45. Stormwater Management

45. Stormwater Management

LET’S GET OUTSIDE! Providers

LET’S GET OUTSIDE! Providers

Scarecrow

Scarecrow

Eating and Sharing

Eating and Sharing

Birds and Bird Habitat

Birds and Bird Habitat

COVID Support we’re all in this together!

COVID Support we’re all in this together!

Earth Day!

Earth Day!

Creating Bird Feeders with Recycled Materials

Creating Bird Feeders with Recycled Materials

NLH April

NLH April

Teardrop Park (North)

Teardrop Park (North)

Sunflower Houses

Sunflower Houses

Reducing Mosquitoes

Reducing Mosquitoes

Harvesting and Eating Sunflower Seeds

Harvesting and Eating Sunflower Seeds

Winter Play and Learning Outdoors

Winter Play and Learning Outdoors

Theme Gardens

Theme Gardens

Creating a Butterfly Garden

Creating a Butterfly Garden

Growing Gourds for Birdhouses

Growing Gourds for Birdhouses

Spring Outdoor Play: Making the Most of the Season

Spring Outdoor Play: Making the Most of the Season

Seating & Spaces Outdoors to Observe and Just Be

Seating & Spaces Outdoors to Observe and Just Be

Learning About Birds, Bugs, and other Critters

Learning About Birds, Bugs, and other Critters

Child Care OLE Regulation FAQ in North Carolina

Child Care OLE Regulation FAQ in North Carolina

POD3 Triangle Regional Symposium 2013

POD3 Triangle Regional Symposium 2013

1st Annual NLI Design Institute

1st Annual NLI Design Institute

VIEW DISCLAIMER

The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI), its partners and supporting entities assume no responsibility for the installation of outdoor components and/or designs and their use. In no event will NLI be liable for any loss or damage, including without limitation, indirect or consequential, incurred during the construction or use of outdoor play and learning environments. NLI further suggests adherence to the guidelines set forth in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Public Playground Safety Handbook and to follow local, state, and national code requirements concerning but not limited to land use, zoning, safety, accessibility, permitting, and approval of plans prior to construction.

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CONTACT

College of Design
NC State University
Campus Box 7701
Raleigh, NC 27695-7701


919-515-8345 voice
919-515-7330 fax
naturalearning@ncsu.edu

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WAYFINDING

NLI Wayfinding
© 2025 NC State University. All rights reserved.
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children smelling herbs in garden with teacher

Growing Up with Nature

Creating environments for healthy human development and a healthy biosphere for generations to come.

- NLI Mission

For 25 years, the Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) has applied community-based, equity-driven design thinking to create healthy, natural play and learning environments. The NLI Resource Hub offers a collection of free public resources dedicated to supporting the development of biophilic play and learning environments where children can grow up caring for the planet and each other. These resources encompass landscape design, research, professional development, and information dissemination.

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What are NLI Resource Hub Categories?

Design Sites

Real-world places where NLI has provided professional landscape architecture design assistance.

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Infosheets

Two to four page documents about implementing and maintaining nature-based play settings.

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Interactive Apps

Web-based teaching tools and virtual experiences about exploring and designing nature-based play settings.

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Leaflets

Single-page documents about activities for children and caregivers in nature-based play settings.

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Natural Learning at Home

A month-by-month newsletter series about nature-based activities for children and families at home.

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Programs

Comprehensive projects that combine design assistance, research & evaluation, professional development, and dissemination & communications.

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Publications

Printed and published books and resources about nature-based design, education, childhood, and more.

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Research

Published scientific research about nature-based design, childhood, behavior mapping, and more.

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The Green Desk

A blog series responding to NLI’s most frequently-asked-questions.

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Videos

Videos created by NLI and our partners about nature-based design, education, childhood, and more.

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What are NLI Resource Hub Tags?

Affordable Settings

Elements of outdoor learning environments that can be built and deployed at a low cost, but with a great impact.

Community Engagement

Families, partners, neighborhoods and cities that help outdoor learning environments thrive and grow.

Fundraising

Information for raising resources to build and maintain outdoor learning environments.

Gardening

Resources about growing plants and all the different ways it benefits young children.

Healthy Eating

Fruits and vegetables, trying and tasting, growing and eating. Learn how young children can be excited to eat nutritious food.

Outdoor Installation

Building and constructing outdoor learning environments can be challenging. Find resources to guide your project.

Outdoor Management

Maintaining and sustaining outdoor learning environments is vital to their long-term success. Learn about managing environments.

Outdoor Safety

Risk management in play areas is critical for certification and regulation. Learn how to create safe spaces and address concerns.

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The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI), its partners and supporting entities as­sume no responsibility for the installation of outdoor components and/or designs and their use. In no event will NLI be liable for any loss or damage, including without lim­itation, indirect or consequential, incurred during the construction or use of outdoor play and learning environments. NLI further suggests adherence to the guidelines set forth in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Public Playground Safety Handbook and to follow local, state, and national code requirements concerning but not limited to land use, zoning, safety, accessibility, permitting, and approval of plans prior to construction.