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Pathways

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Protected: Childcare Homes DCDEE Webinar Series

Kids Together Playground Interactive Virtual Tour

Kids Together Playground Interactive Virtual Tour

Looping Primary Pathway

Looping Primary Pathway

Elements of Urban Form

Elements of Urban Form

Institutes & Symposia

Institutes & Symposia

Children’s Rights to a Healthy Future

Children’s Rights to a Healthy Future

The Nature PlayScape at Cincinnati Nature Center

The Nature PlayScape at Cincinnati Nature Center

Anne Springs Close Greenway (ASCG)

Anne Springs Close Greenway (ASCG)

Free Wood Chips!

Free Wood Chips!

Conestee Nature Preserve: Nature Playscape

Conestee Nature Preserve: Nature Playscape

Aurelian Springs Institute of Global Learning

Aurelian Springs Institute of Global Learning

A-Z Children’s Enrichment Academy

A-Z Children’s Enrichment Academy

CADA Head Start @ Scotland Neck

CADA Head Start @ Scotland Neck

CADA Head Start @ Halifax Community College

CADA Head Start @ Halifax Community College

Children’s Creative Center

Children’s Creative Center

Clara Hearne Early Childhood Center

Clara Hearne Early Childhood Center

Everett’s Elementary S.T.E.M. Academy

Everett’s Elementary S.T.E.M. Academy

Haliwa-Saponi Day Care Center

Haliwa-Saponi Day Care Center

Hollister Elementary Leadership Academy

Hollister Elementary Leadership Academy

Inborden Elementary S.T.E.A.M. Academy

Inborden Elementary S.T.E.A.M. Academy

J & J Child Care & Learning Center

J & J Child Care & Learning Center

Just for Kids Child Care Center

Just for Kids Child Care Center

Kingdom Kids Day Care Center

Kingdom Kids Day Care Center

Little Blessings Learning Center

Little Blessings Learning Center

Pittman Elementary Leadership Academy

Pittman Elementary Leadership Academy

Scotland Neck Elementary Leadership Academy

Scotland Neck Elementary Leadership Academy

Smiles R’ Us Big Kids

Smiles R’ Us Big Kids

Weldon Day Care Center

Weldon Day Care Center

Weldon Preschool Global Academy

Weldon Preschool Global Academy

White Oak Head Start

White Oak Head Start

Abram’s Child Care Center

Abram’s Child Care Center

Activity-friendly Neighbourhoods Can Benefit Non-communicable and Infectious Diseases

Activity-friendly Neighbourhoods Can Benefit Non-communicable and Infectious Diseases

Tabernacle Pre-K

Tabernacle Pre-K

Head Start Station

Head Start Station

Harmony Place

Harmony Place

Connie Redding Head Start

Connie Redding Head Start

Beacon Child Development Center

Beacon Child Development Center

Teddy Bear Child Care Center

Teddy Bear Child Care Center

Ramseur Elementary School

Ramseur Elementary School

« Older Entries

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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College of Design
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Raleigh, NC 27695-7701


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WAYFINDING

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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.