Buds in the Bluegrass State: Increasing access to nature-based early care and education in Kentucky

The best time to engage in nature is right from the start.

An infant’s brain forms more than 1 million new neural connections every second. This surge continues throughout early childhood, from birth to age 5, marking the most intensive period of brain development.

Because of these facts, early childhood presents the first — and best — chance at ensuring engagement in and a love of nature throughout one’s life. Introducing nature during this critical period helps build physical and mental resilience, as well as developing comfort and confidence in enjoying the outdoors and navigating the natural world. Additionally, parents and guardians are most receptive to changing or adapting their own behaviors to meet a new child’s needs during this critical period.

Two young children playing and stepping across large tree stumps in a wooded area.

Young child in a pink coat balancing on a wooden beam in a wooded area while an adult walks away in the background.

Adult and young child sitting together by a small campfire in a wooded area.

Two smiling adults and a young child standing together in a wooded area during light snowfall.

While there are a growing number of nature-based child care programs and preschools across the United States, most states do not allow these programs to be licensed, thus preventing them from enjoying the benefits of licensing, such as child care subsidies. Access to child care subsidies is a critical tool for ensuring that children from low-income families have access to nature-based programming.

Recognizing this challenge, the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) has been working with nature-based early learning providers to develop strategies to change the regulatory framework.

Legislative site visit

Kentucky State Representative Vanessa Grossel (R-Fayette County and Scott County) has lent her leadership to introduce and advance legislation on this issue. On November 10, 2025, KAEE, along with the Children & Nature Network, hosted a site visit for legislators. The visit helped legislators learn about nature-based child care programs and why they are essential for young children, and offered a place to discuss policy barriers and opportunities to increase access to these programs.

Group of adults walking together through a wooded area while a small child sits on a tree stump in the foreground.

Two adults walking and talking on a forest path while another person walks behind them.

Group of adults standing outdoors and listening during a conversation outside a building.

Group of adults walking together along a tree-lined path in a park during autumn.

Four adults seated in a circle having a discussion inside a colorful, child-themed room.

Group of adults standing together beneath a sign reading “Play Cousins Collective” at a wooded outdoor site.

The Louisville-area tour included Thrive Forest Preschool (a forest preschool), Trinity House Child Care (a traditional child care program with a strong emphasis on outdoor learning and play), and the Sankofa outdoor programming at Chickasaw Park. Attending lawmakers included Rep. Vanessa Grossl (R), Speaker David Osborne (R), Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton (D), Rep. Daniel Grossberg (D), and Sen. Lindsey Tichenor (R).

Seeing these programs in action — and in snowy, cold weather — showcased the problem-solving, collaboration and exploration that these programs provide to young children.

2026 legislation

We are expecting a Republican-led and bipartisan bill that will create an advisory committee to work with the Kentucky Child Care Administration (the state agency that oversees state child care programs and related funding) to develop outdoor child care regulations. This process will include creating opportunities for professional development and training for providers, as well as agency staff such as licensors. The Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) is working with a myriad of interested parties to ensure that the bill passes and successfully results in more outdoor child care programs that are both engaging and safe for Kentucky’s children. The Children & Nature Network has been supporting the legislative strategy, and the Natural Start Alliance has provided content expertise.

Kentucky is not the first state to develop outdoor child care regulations. Several states, including Washington and Michigan, have regulatory frameworks, and more states are beginning to consider their approaches.

Outdoor nature play area with a circle of tree stumps, logs, rocks, and a raised wooden walkway in the background.

Wooden playground structure with a slide and swing set surrounded by trees in a natural outdoor setting.

Outdoor play area with wooden sensory structures, metal panels, pipes, and buckets set in a grassy yard.

Two adults standing outdoors near a small wooden tunnel structure and grassy area.

Hollowed tree trunk with leafy branches growing around the opening.

There is support for public-sector efforts to increase nature engagement and learning among young children. The Outdoor and Nature-Based Early Care and Education (ONB ECE) Collaborative was launched in late 2024. The goal of the Collaborative is to increase public policy and funding supportive of ONB ECE at the local, state, and federal levels. The Collaborative includes providers, advocates, early childhood intermediaries, public agencies and more, including LIIF, NIEER, National Wildlife Federation-ECHO, Natural Start Alliance and the National League of Cities. The Collaborative has three Working Groups that are taking a deep dive into potential public policy ideas, supports and communications related to environments and facilities, prenatal-to-age three and family supports, and federal policy.

To learn more about the Collaborative or to join the email list, check out the “Nature in Early Childhood” hub, or please reach out to David Beard, the Director of Policy & Government Affairs at the Children & Nature Network (david@childrenandnature.org). Let’s get kids outside from the start!

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David Beard

David Beard is Director Of Policy & Government Affairs for the Children & Nature Network. Prior to that, he was the Policy & Advocacy Director at School’s Out Washington, where he facilitated SOWA’s advocacy efforts, including educating policymakers and working with providers and stakeholders to secure more funding and better policies for the expanded learning field. Throughout his career, David has been an advocate for children and families. After working as the Policy Director at the Washington State Council for Children and Families, he spent five years at the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Maryland Advocates for Children and Youth, both dedicated to education policy issues ranging from pre-k to student discipline reform. In his free time, David loves exploring one of the world’s most beautiful urban areas and hiking in the Cascades.

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