Projects
Click on a project name below to see more information, or choose from a category on the left to browse specific project types.
Shape NC
Shape NC is a three-year project expected to reach thousands of preschoolers in a state where more than one-third of children two to four years of age are considered at risk for becoming obese.
The state’s Smart Start program administers Shape NC. Local Partnerships for Children support community planning on early childhood obesity and identify Model Early Learning Centers (MELCs) to host Shape NC. These locations become resource centers for other early childhood educators, allowing the program to reach many more professionals. The Natural Learning Initiative provides participatory community design services and technical assistance to create healthy outdoor learning environments (OLEs) including designated vegetable gardens and permanent edible landscaping to support healthy eating.
Natural Play and Learning Area Guidelines Project
The National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Learning Initiative began work towards developing national guidelines for play and learning areas in 2009. As outlined in the NWF's policy action plan, Connecting Kids with Nature, children are faced with many options for staying indoors and few options for getting outside, connecting with nature, and acquiring the life skills only available through interacting with nature. The U.S. Forest Service, with matching efforts from sites developing nature play areas will provide funding for the guidelines over the next two years.
This project will create policy and practice guidelines for natural play areas in childhood and family institutions: childcare centers, municipal parks, public schools, and federal lands. Research based design concepts that bring children and families together with their natural environments, in a variety of settings. The project will promote guideline adoption by stakeholder professional associations, governments, and regulatory bodies.
Montessori Schools and the Designed Environment
The Montessori concept of the Prepared Enviornment, that the school house should be designed to facilitate independent learning and exploration, fits well with The Natural Learning Initiative's (NLI) focus on designing the outdoor environment so that children will have the opportunity to discover nature and the joy of playing outside. This connection is evident in the designs NLI developed for Montessori Schools at several sites in North Carolina and in Ithaca, NY.
Collaborations beween NLI and the North American Montessori Teacher's Association (NAMTA) have resulted in several NAMTA Journal articles and presentations at NAMTA conferences in 2006 and 2009.
The journal articles are available here:
Nature Play Corps
Secretary of the Interior Salazar has launched a bold initiative, the 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps, to provide youth with a direct experience of nature and introduce them to careers in conservation. First hand accounts of intern activities are available on this blog.
Walnut Creek Wetland Center
The Walnut Creek Wetlands Center (WCWC) began as the cornerstone of Walnut Creek 2000, an action program developed by Partners for Environmental Justice (PEJ), with the conservation and restoration of the extensive Walnut Creek wetlands in Southeast Raleigh and the development of an educational center as its primary goals.
Creating a Supportive Network and Training Resources for Naturalized Outdoor Learning Environments in Childcare Centers
The goal of the project is to facilitate the implementation and use of naturalized outdoor learning environments in North Carolina childcare centers by creating a specialized professional network covering all North Carolina Division of Child Development (DCD) Licensing Consultants and Environmental Rating Assessors.
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Outdoor Learning Environments Initiative
The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) is partnering with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Office of Early Learning and the Exceptional Children Division in the Outdoor Learning Environments Initiative for Preschool Demonstration Site Program . The purpose of this initiative is to provide accessible and high quality outdoor learning environments in demonstration preschool classrooms and to prepare teachers to model appropriate use and best teaching practices in the outdoor environment..
Montessori Community School, Durham, NC
Located on the border of Chapel Hill and Durham, the Montessori Community School (MCS) campus is home to 230 students, ages 18 months to 14 years. The campus includes twelve classrooms, a gym, art and music center, outdoor learning centers, a field, and existing wooded area. “MCS is a learning community of children, parents, faculty, and staff, each with distinct roles and responsibilities. Adults work in concert to support children’s development as active, peaceful, life-long learners and global citizens.” The school emphasises outdoor learning.
The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) worked with the Montessori Community School and the Montessori Community Association (MCA, parent-led organization) to create naturalized play and learning settings for the primary school area and the Spark Center (arts and music center) serving the elementary school.
Preventing Obesity by Design (POD)
Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) is aimed at reversing the trend toward childhood obesity by improving OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL DIVERSITY of childcare centers, which research suggests can increase children’s level of physical activity, increase time spent outdoors by children and teachers, and increase children’s awareness of vegetables, fruit, and nuts as healthy foods.
The Montessori School of Winston-Salem, NC
The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) worked with the Montessori School of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to create a Design Program and Schematic Master Plan for the development of the school grounds.
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Project Categories
- Childcare Centers (7)
- Comprehensive Projects (5)
- Current (6)
- Design Assistance (13)
- Montessori Schools (5)
- Non formal Education Institutions (2)
- Parks and Recreation (5)
- Professional Development (3)
- Research (10)
- Residential Neighborhoods (1)
- Schools (5)