Preschools in which children play and learn outside for the majority of the school day—called nature preschools—are continuing to rapidly expand across the United States, according to Natural Start’s newest report, Nature Preschools in the United States: 2022 Survey.
Today, there are an estimated 800 nature preschools in the United States, up more than 200% from 2017, and more than 300% since the programs began rapidly expanding just after 2010. The report indicates that in the 2022-23 school year, there were an estimated 800 nature preschools in the U.S. serving 25,600 children.
Results suggest that access to and participation in nature preschools is not equally available to every child today: Children who are Black or Latino are less likely to enroll in nature preschools, while children who are White are more likely, and this trend has not improved significantly since 2017. The racial and ethnic makeup of educators in nature preschools mirrors that of children.
Licensing outdoor preschools to bring more public funding to outdoor education is an important step in leveling the playing field for families, but more research is needed to explore how to bring more diversity to nature preschools.
To promote continued, and more equitable, growth in nature preschools, the Natural Start Alliance calls for licensing outdoor preschools, along with more support for professional training and professional networks for nature-based educators. Because nature preschools are leading the way in demonstrating the effectiveness of early childhood nature-based education, continued growth in these programs can help shift our systems to bring the benefits of nature-based education into every program, for every child.
Download the full Nature Preschools in the United States: 2022 Survey
View Nature-Based Preschools in the US: 2020 Snapshot
View Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens 2017 National Survey
Watch a webinar about the survey results recorded in May 2023.
