Even in the mud and scum of things, something always, always sings.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882, philosopher, abolitionist, poet

“…This is a question about equality, you know, where you have people with resources that actually expose their children to nature, take them on trips. And we have other folks that don’t have the resources to take them out into nature. The schools need to have everybody on the same, and the best, level playing field as possible,” stated a parent of a preschooler in Los Angeles Unified School District. This parent was one of several who participated in a 2023 focus group study investigating the perceived impacts of Nature Explore designed natural outdoor classrooms, the latest of three comprehensive studies of natural outdoor classrooms conducted by Dr. Sam Dennis and colleagues. They organized separate focus groups for parents, teachers, administrators and design team members, and concluded:

“Themes emerged from each group with the overarching premise that creating nature-rich outdoor classrooms benefits parents, teachers, school principals, and the design teams in supporting young children. Participants reported working with Nature Explore increased communication and collaboration, contributing to enhanced learning environments, experiences, and positive school communities.”

Children who start full-time as infants can spend as much as 10,000 hours in early care settings before they turn five, which makes where they spend their days especially important. By increasing the variety of opportunities for open-ended outdoor play in nature-rich spaces, early childhood programs can be the ones to level the playing field, as it were.

Enrich your own connections with nature. Don’t miss these upcoming events:

• Are you ready to squish and splash? International Mud Day, June 29, is nearly here!
• Join educators, caregivers, environmentalists, landscape designers, directors and administrators, researchers and more at the 2024 Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom Project Leadership Institute, July 14-17. A few spots remain. Register today!