Jane Weir 9/8/24 Jane Weir 9/8/24

Mindful Materials: Creating Engaging Outdoor Environments for Young Learners

In this episode of the Mindful Turtle podcast, Dr. Rachel A. Larimore encourages listeners to reflect on whether the interest areas and materials available inside are also present outside.

Jane Weir 4/16/24 Jane Weir 4/16/24

We’re not separate

The core teaching of Nature-based early childhood education (NbECE) is that the learning isn’t just IN nature or ABOUT nature, but is a relationship between nature and the child. That’s why we use the phrase “learning WITH nature.”

Jane Weir 4/2/24 Jane Weir 4/2/24

Enjoying the easy weather

As the weather gets “easier,” I encourage you to spend even more of your day outdoors. Establishing a clear routine and a rich learning space will make the experience much, much better for everyone!

Jane Weir 10/19/23 Jane Weir 10/19/23

Opportunity shop

Opportunity shops (also known as thrift shops, resale shops, etc.) are one of my favorite places to shop for nature-based early childhood play supplies.

Jane Weir 9/19/23 Jane Weir 9/19/23

The power of 1 peach tree

A home provider recently shared this story with me about the peach tree in her backyard. She went on to describe the pure joy the children experienced in eating the peaches they had watched for so long, and I want to share it with you now.

Jane Weir 9/18/23 Jane Weir 9/18/23

Connecting the learning across all three spaces

You’ve heard me talk about the three spaces of the Inside, Outside, and Beyond. While the spaces themselves are important, what brings nature-based pedagogy to life is how we use those spaces.

Jane Weir 9/18/23 Jane Weir 9/18/23

Still the classroom

By considering the types of play opportunities available, we can shift toward the outdoor play space truly serving as an extension of the classroom where teachers are as engaged in supporting children’s play as they are indoors.

Rachel Larimore 5/6/22 Rachel Larimore 5/6/22

Defining nature-based preschools

In this article published by the International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, Rachel Larimore reflects on a few of the program terms currently being discussed among early childhood environmental education professionals.

Rachel Larimore 5/6/22 Rachel Larimore 5/6/22

Nurture in nature: Getting started with nature-based learning

Nurture in Nature is a blog series hosted by Kaplan Early Learning. In this article Dr. Rachel A. Larimore provides practical advice for creating outdoor learning spaces. While the idea may sound intimidating, she makes it simple.

Rachel Larimore 5/6/22 Rachel Larimore 5/6/22

Using principles of nature-based preschools to transform your classroom

In this article in NAEYC’s Young Children, Rachel Larimore explains how teachers can use principles of nature-based education to transform their classrooms.