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Planters

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Sterling Montessori Academy and Charter School

Sterling Montessori Academy and Charter School

Weeding, Planting, & Watering – NLI Short

Weeding, Planting, & Watering – NLI Short

Protected: DCDEE Webinar Series

Protected: Childcare Homes DCDEE Webinar Series

Garden Planning and Caring

Garden Planning and Caring

Natural Learning Initiative Resources

Natural Learning Initiative Resources

Design interventions at Washington Terrace (WT)

Design interventions at Washington Terrace (WT)

Nemours Children’s Health Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Technical Assistance Program Convening 2023

Nemours Children’s Health Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Technical Assistance Program Convening 2023

Kids Together Playground

Kids Together Playground

Anne Springs Close Greenway (ASCG)

Anne Springs Close Greenway (ASCG)

Free Wood Chips!

Free Wood Chips!

Ross Park Playful Learning Forest

Ross Park Playful Learning Forest

Hands-on Childcare Garden Intervention

Hands-on Childcare Garden Intervention

Aurelian Springs Institute of Global Learning

Aurelian Springs Institute of Global Learning

CADA Head Start @ Halifax Community College

CADA Head Start @ Halifax Community College

Children’s Creative Center

Children’s Creative 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

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

Tabernacle Pre-K

Tabernacle Pre-K

Level Cross Enrichment Center

Level Cross Enrichment Center

Liberty Elementary School Pre-K

Liberty Elementary School Pre-K

The Kids of Hope Child Care Center

The Kids of Hope Child Care Center

It’s A Kid’s World Preschool

It’s A Kid’s World Preschool

Childcare Network #125

Childcare Network #125

Kids Korner Academy

Kids Korner Academy

01. Benefits of Engaging Children with Nature

01. Benefits of Engaging Children with Nature

02. Top Ten Activity Settings For Outdoor Learning

02. Top Ten Activity Settings For Outdoor Learning

03. Affordable Settings and Components

03. Affordable Settings and Components

05. Gathering Settings Created with Logs

05. Gathering Settings Created with Logs

08. Vine Conical Installation

08. Vine Conical Installation

10. Growing Edibles in Containers

10. Growing Edibles in Containers

12. Arbors, Pergolas, & Trellises

12. Arbors, Pergolas, & Trellises

« 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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Raleigh, NC 27695-7701


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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.