What Is the Natural Start Alliance?
The Natural Start Alliance unites organizations and individuals working toward a future in which every young child has access to high-quality education that includes nature and the environment every day. The Alliance includes over 1,000 organizations such as schools, environmental education centers, non-profit organizations, zoos and aquariums, park districts, professional associations, and more. You can view organizational members on our Alliance Map. In addition to organizational members, the Alliance also includes thousands of individual education professionals and parents.
Not a member yet? There is no cost to join the Alliance, and you can join here.
Natural Start is a project of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), which serves as the professional backbone and champion for the field of environmental education. Natural Start’s role within NAAEE is to promote and support environmental education for young children.
Staff - The work of the Alliance is carried out by Natural Start Alliance staff at the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).
Leadership - The Alliance is guided and advised by a leadership team of professionals that represent a variety of perspectives in nature-based, environmental learning for young children.
Regional Network - The Alliance provides a platform for national and international collaboration between its members, and also between regional associations with similar goals that allow opportunities for their members to connect locally.
What Unites the Alliance?
We believe in great beginnings. We know that hands-on experiences in nature help build stronger, smarter, and happier children, and we believe that quality education for young children includes regular opportunities to connect with nature and the local environment. We also believe that as children learn to care for themselves and others, they also begin to learn to care for the world around them. Experiencing and learning about the environment in early childhood builds a foundation for lifelong environmental literacy. These benefits are powerful, and we believe that any disparities in access to nature and the environment in early childhood education based on race, income, or any other factor are unacceptable. We are united in our efforts to ensure that every child enjoys nature and the environment as part of a great early childhood education.
What Does the Alliance Do?
The Natural Start Alliance provides a number of opportunities to connect and support Alliance members, who work in unique ways to bring nature and the environment into early childhood education. Some key areas of focus are:
Connecting and Convening
Each year, the Alliance hosts the Nature-Based Early Learning Conference, which brings the field together for networking, professional development, site tours, exhibits, and more. Throughout the year, the Alliance keeps members connected and informed by providing regular communications, along with platforms for members to network directly. The Regional Network Alliance connects nature-based education groups working at the state and regional levels. And Natural Start is constantly working to connect and support members who are advocating for nature-based learning at a variety of geographic scales.
Resources and Research
The Alliance publishes original research in early childhood environmental education and resources to support nature-based education, and also provides a platform to share resources and research as a professional community. The Alliance publishes the International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, and key resources for the field, including the Nature-Based Preschool Professional Practice Guidebook and the Early Childhood Environmental Education Guidelines for Excellence. See our resource library to find resources from our members, and the eeResearch library for a searchable database of environmental education research.
Representing the Field
As nature-based education has grown, so have questions from parents, caregivers, media, and professionals in related fields. What is nature-based education? How do I find programs near me? What are the trends in nature-based learning? Who has access to this approach to education? Is it effective? Where can I learn more? The Alliance helps provide answers and connects people with organizations that can help. The Nature-Based Preschool National Survey provides insights into this growing segment of early childhood education. Our member map and nature preschool map help people identify Alliance members by location, and our members work together to speak for nature-based education with a collective voice for change.
How Can I Engage in the Work of the Alliance?
Whether you simply want to show your support for the goals of the Alliance, or you want to dive deeper or take on a professional leadership role, there are ways for you to connect with us.
Join the Alliance
If you are aligned with the goals of the Natural Start Alliance, please join us. There is no cost to join and it takes just a few minutes. Your membership is important because it helps demonstrate the size and diversity of the field, and keeps you connected to a professional network that shares your goals and commitment. Join here.
Stay Connected
Stay connected with the Alliance through our year-round communications, including our monthly newsletter, Facebook page, Instagram, Google Group, and early childhood group on NAAEE’s eePRO. The Alliance also hosts forums throughout the year that bring members together to network and learn. Contact us any time through our communications channels, and at [email protected].
Participate in the Conference
Join the Alliance each year at the end of July at the Nature-Based Early Learning Conference, when the field comes together in person or online. If you are interested in presenting, the call for presentations is released in December or January each year. Natural Start's parent organization also hosts the NAAEE Annual Conference and Research Symposium annually, and includes early childhood-focused sessions and networking opportunities.
Join the Natural Start Alliance Graduate Student Network
If you are a graduate student whose academic or research interests align with the goals of the Natural Start Alliance, we invite you to join our Grad Student Network group. This is an informal network of graduate students across the country and internationally who share a passion for nature-based learning and research in early childhood. We host monthly gatherings, including casual network meetings and formal structured events, as well as additional opportunities to connect and network asynchronously. Come join a community of fellow graduate students for mutual support, collaboration, and professional development. Email us to learn more: [email protected].
Get Involved with Projects
Members who are interested in getting more involved with our professional community can step up to advance the work of the Alliance through projects, which start and end at various times throughout the year, or continue their work across years. Some of the projects underway include:
- Reviewing Conference Proposals
- Reviewing Submissions to the International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education
- Exploring and Addressing Equity and Access in Nature-Based Early Childhood Education
If you have an idea for a project that you think the Alliance should explore, please let us know. Email us at [email protected].