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Vegetables

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

18. Making Newspaper Seedling Pots

18. Making Newspaper Seedling Pots

19. Starting Veggies Indoors

19. Starting Veggies Indoors

23. Straw Bale Planters

23. Straw Bale Planters

24. Early Childhood Fruit and Vegetable Gardens

24. Early Childhood Fruit and Vegetable Gardens

25. Harvesting Water with Rain Barrels

25. Harvesting Water with Rain Barrels

28. Plants for Outdoor Learning Environments

28. Plants for Outdoor Learning Environments

31. Fire Ant Prevention and Treatment

31. Fire Ant Prevention and Treatment

Land of Learning Child Care

Land of Learning Child Care

Early Preschool and Learning Center

Early Preschool and Learning Center

A Safe Place Early Learning Center

A Safe Place Early Learning Center

Kid’s Country of Clayton

Kid’s Country of Clayton

Imagination Learning Center, Inc.

Imagination Learning Center, Inc.

Johnston Community College Child Development Center

Johnston Community College Child Development Center

Kidsworld Learning Center

Kidsworld Learning Center

Kidstown Child Care and Learning Center

Kidstown Child Care and Learning Center

Precious Promises Academy

Precious Promises Academy

ABC Land Inc II

ABC Land Inc II

Kings Kids CDC

Kings Kids CDC

Hattie Daniels Day Care Center

Hattie Daniels Day Care Center

The Growing Tree

The Growing Tree

Kinder Kastle INC

Kinder Kastle INC

Pine Street Head Start

Pine Street Head Start

Gingerbread Littleversity

Gingerbread Littleversity

Fairview Children’s Center

Fairview Children’s Center

Creative Schools at Davis Park

Creative Schools at Davis Park

Asbury Preschool

Asbury Preschool

Kids Korner Academy II

Kids Korner Academy II

Rethink Outside: Getting Kids Outdoors as Early as Possible

Rethink Outside: Getting Kids Outdoors as Early as Possible

LET’S GET OUTSIDE! Providers

LET’S GET OUTSIDE! Providers

(Orange Co.) Community School for People Under 6

(Orange Co.) Community School for People Under 6

(Guilford Co.) Willow Oaks Child Development Center

(Guilford Co.) Willow Oaks Child Development Center

(Guilford Co.) Macedonia Child Development Center

(Guilford Co.) Macedonia Child Development Center

Harvest Time

Harvest Time

Garden Path

Garden Path

Fruit or Vegetable?

Fruit or Vegetable?

Eating and Sharing

Eating and Sharing

Preschool Gardening Activity Guide

Preschool Gardening Activity Guide

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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.