Resources
Place-Based Scientific Inquiry: A Practical Handbook for Teaching Outside
Cover image for book Place Based Scientific Inquiry, showing three students touching a soil sample
A new open-access book for educators focused on justice-first and place-based scientific inquiry, following best practices from the Next Generation Science Standards.
How-to Guide for Caregiver & Child Classes
7 Recorded Sessions, View at Your Own Pace Inspired by LEAP Outside, this wonderful, one-of-a-kind resource is for those who wish to create a community-based infant/toddler/preK program. Includes four seasons of lesson plans, pre-recorded coaching sessions from LEAP founder Evie Wilkinson, and MANY, MANY downloadable shortcuts.
We're constantly looking for great resources for our members. Below is a complete list of the resources we've gathered so far. You can select the types of resources you're looking for. To select more than one type of resource, hold the control button while you make your selections.
This book brings together renowned authors, with research and professional experience in a range of disciplines, to provide a comprehensive guide to developing positive and engaging outdoor learning environments in the early years.
Cover image for book Place Based Scientific Inquiry, showing three students touching a soil sample
A new open-access book for educators focused on justice-first and place-based scientific inquiry, following best practices from the Next Generation Science Standards.
An illustrated, essential guide to engaging children and youth in the process of urban design.
Playing and Learning Outdoors shows early years practitioners how to get the very best from outdoor playing and learning for the enjoyment, health and education of all children from ages three to five years. This invaluable resource also includes practical advice on movement and physical play; playing with sand, natural materials, and water; plants, living things, and growing; and construction, creativity, and imaginative play.
Intended to help early childhood educators shift their practice towards a more nature-based approach—wherever their starting point.
Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth K-12. PLT includes activities and experiences to facilitate outdoor play and nature exploration, and also includes a children's CD. The GreenSchools! program provides materials for helping children and families connect with nature.
Developed with preschool educators and early childhood specialists, this resource includes over 130 experiences that engage children in outdoor play and exploration and is specifically designed for educators who work with children ages three to six. Topics include exploring nature with five senses, meeting neighborhood trees, and experiencing trees through the seasons.
Want to enjoy garden activities with a preschooler or school-age child? Here's a book for teachers, parents, home schoolers, after school instructors, park or botanical garden interpreters and child development specialists. Tables match the activities to the National Core Standards, NAEYC curriculum standards and Next Generation Science Standards.
Standards provide important benchmarks for student learning, but meeting them doesn’t mean you have to take away creativity, lively participation, and joyful learning. This resource offers strategies to address content standards in ways that nurture kindergartners’ natural love of learning.
A documentary about the benefits of forest kindergartens.
Schoolyard-Enhanced Learning shows how the school grounds—regardless of whether your school is in an urban, suburban, or rural setting—can become an enriching extension of the classroom. In this comprehensive handbook, theory and practice provides readers with practical suggestions and teacher-tested activities for using the most powerful tool available—the outdoors.
Seeds of Inspiration Learning Card Deck
Seeds of Inspiration Learning Card Deck
The Seeds of Inspiration Learning Card Deck is an idea generator for your Outdoor Classroom. The deck features photographs from The Four Types of Gardens; Gardens that Feed; Gardens that Attract Wildlife; Garden for Art and Beauty; and Gardens as Learning Stations. Each card offers questions as prompts to guide your Outdoor Classroom design and nature-based curriculum for teaching outdoors.
Browse job listings by region in the September Nature-Based Preschool & School Age Jobs Newsletter.
Travel with fun-loving Muppets Elmo and Murray from Sesame Street to two of America's most popular national parks in the new online series Sesame Street Explores National Parks. Six short videos and accompanying hands-on activities introduce preschoolers to the natural world of habitats, seasons, and animal families.
Sharing Nature with Children sparked a worldwide revolution in nature education. Now that classic has been completely rewritten, with many added new activities-and combined with Sharing the Joy of Nature-to make a treasury of Joseph’s best-loved nature games for children and adults, in one complete volume.