All Resources

Explore all resources from the Natural Start Alliance, from articles to webinars. 

Use the filters below to focus your search. 

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digging into nature book cover

Digging into Nature

Dr. Tandon and Dr. Glassy offered a wealth of suggestions for nature-based activities and suggestions for overcoming common challenges busy families face when trying to increase their outdoor time. The authors addressed the importance of nature for children’s health at every age from infancy through adolescence and linked their suggested activities to key developmental milestones.

Resource Type

  • Webinar

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blueberry award 2024

Announcing the Blueberry Literary Award Winners

The Natural Start Alliance is happy to continue its partnership with the Evanston Public Library to bring you the best in children’s books about nature connection and environmental stewardship. The Blueberry Award is a literary award that honors books about nature — the first of its kind. During a webinar on March 15, 2024, the award committee, organized through Evanston Public Library, reviewed 2023 Blueberry Award book winners and honors with the Natural Start community!

Resource Type

  • Webinar

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fork in path in forest

Non-Profit or For-Profit? Finding the Best Path for Your Program

As programs navigate all of the varied considerations in operating a nature-based education program, an important question is: Should my program operate as a non-profit or for-profit venture? This webinar provides an overview of a new resource to help programs considering their options.

Resource Type

  • Webinar

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children reading on grass

Multiple Language Learning in Nature-Based Classrooms

Nearly a quarter of all children in the US speak a language other than English in the home. In some states, that percentage is over a third, and in some urban areas, more than half of children may be learning multiple languages. How can we best support children in their language learning outdoors, and are there elements of nature-based, outdoor learning that are particularly helpful in language learning? Join us to hear some of the latest research and learn from programs that have made nature and language learning central in their curriculum.

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  • Webinar

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diverse group of children

Equitable Enrollment: Strategies to Boost Equity and Diversity

Natural Start reached out to members to learn how nature preschools are prioritizing equity and diversity through their enrollment process. We heard back from programs employing a variety of strategies for attracting and enrolling racially and economically diverse families, including administrative policies, marketing and outreach, community partnerships, accessing state pre-K funding, and more.

Resource Type

  • Webinar

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3 children running in a row outside

How We Play: Co-Creating Outdoor Spaces for Black Children and What They Want

This webinar draws from the extensive research of Dr. Deja Jones, Founder of Honeypot Montessori, and the hands-on expertise of Ashley Causey-Golden, co-founder of Gather Forest School. This webinar focused on the collaborative creation of outdoor play areas tailored for Black children between the ages of 3 and 6 and explore the practical implementation of research in this domain.

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  • Webinar

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girl laying on grass looking up

Do You See What I See? NASA’s Nature-Based Explorations for Young Minds

"Do You See What I See?" provides a look at NASA’s nature-based explorations for young minds that build upon their natural curiosity. Webinar provides a variety of nature-based learning activities designed to foster a natural sense of curiosity through the development of observation skills that encourage young minds to ask questions and explore the natural world using their senses.

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  • Webinar

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young child reading book

Get to Know the 2022 Blueberry Awardees

The Natural Start Alliance partnered with the Evanston Public Library to bring you the best in children’s books about nature connection and environmental stewardship. The Blueberry Award is a relatively new literary award that honors books about nature — the first of its kind. The Award committee reviewed books from 2022, sharing the latest and greatest with our community!

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  • Webinar

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girl looking at ripe blueberries on a bush

The Blueberry Awards: Children’s Books That Can Change the World

The Natural Start Alliance teamed up with the Evanston Public Library to shine a spotlight on the Blueberry Awards, a new literary award that honors books about nature. Panelists examined what makes a children’s book about nature stand out, how books written for young children are exploring nature connection, sustainability, and environmental stewardship, and why that matters, especially now. View the webinar recording for a look at the best children’s literature about nature, as designated by a committee of librarians and environmentalists. You’ll walk away with new ideas about the power of story and a list of books to add to your classroom library!

Resource Type

  • Webinar

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Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Booklet cover

Forum: Minnesota Department of Education's Outdoor Learning in Early Childhood Project

The Natural Start Alliance collaborates with state and regional groups around the country to advocate for and promote outdoor learning as a high-quality approach to early childhood education. These groups work from the very local to the regional level to support and provide training to educators all along the outdoor learning spectrum, from those just stepping outdoors with their students for the first time to those operating nature-based preschools. This forum features the Minnesota Early Childhood Outdoors (MnECO), sharing their success in partnering with the Minnesota Department of Education to develop outdoor learning resources for all early childhood educators.

Resource Type

  • Webinar

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colorful children's rain boots

Natural Start Forum: Removing Barriers to Outdoor Gear

The right gear is essential for outdoor learning, but many families and schools view gear as a barrier. We’ve asked four leaders from four different programs to share how they acquire and manage gear in ways that are equitable and accessible.

Resource Type

  • Webinar