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Since 2016, San Francisco has built a coalition of over 30 organizations and city departments all working together to more equitably connect all children to the many benefits of nature. Their story is one of collaborations, partnerships and a shared vision of equity.
This survey was created to measure whether and how children have access to nature on early San Francisco education sites serving ages five and under.
The Nature in Early Childhood Toolkit offers a structured, multi-layered approach to ensure that nature is fully integrated into early childhood education systems. It provides tools, case studies and implementation guides to help communities think through the various stages of implementation, from partnership building and workforce training to amplifying and sustaining efforts through policy change and funding.
This toolkit highlights innovative, Nature-Smart Library initiatives nationwide, showcasing how libraries can collaborate with cities, parks, and community partners to expand nature access. While many libraries lead individual efforts, this toolkit emphasizes system-wide strategies to ensure nature is accessible across entire communities.
These Nature Activity Cards are a great way to get started having fun in nature with family and friends. Each set of cards has a suggested age group (2-6 years old or 7-11 years old) and a theme, such as urban animals, clouds, crafts, reptiles and frogs. Inside each set, you’ll find activities that incorporate play, acting, drawing, stewardship and more. You can view the cards online, or download and print out for fun on the go.
This Climate Resilience-Nature Connections Toolkit demonstrates how cities can pursue both goals of increasing climate resilience and fostering deeper connections to nature, simultaneously. Four proven strategies in this toolkit, Nature in Early Childhood, Green Schoolyards, Nature-Smart Libraries and Nature Exploration Areas, when combined with climate goals, create healthier, more resilient communities where children thrive and ecosystems are protected.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the public school district unveiled five new greenspaces and playgrounds as part of its district-wide green schoolyard plan. In Rochester, New York, the city...
A 4-year-old boy pounds a branch on a round slice of tree trunk, known as a “tree cookie.” Realizing he can make music, he smiles and begins to pound in rhythm. Across the yard, another group of preschoolers follow a teacher along a log on the ground. The kids hold their arms wide, balancing and following directions. Ahead of them are children who are jumping from rock to rock, squealing as one kid yells, “Ground is lava!”
At the San Pedro Branch Library in San Antonio, Texas, children and their grown-ups are packed into the small library space, hanging on to a local environmental...
Equity maps depict how nature appears in a city relative to key demographic, economic, and social data. Cities use equity maps to prioritize programming, funding and resources to areas most in need. This resource guide provides step-by-step process for creating equity maps.
The tools and resources compiled help cities and partners achieve these goals with a particular focus on equity so all children regardless of race or income have access to nature’s benefits.
Editor’s note: This story is being published to coincide with the month of Ramadan, a holy time for the Muslim...
On a cold mid-January evening in Rochester, NY, a group of young people stand around a circle in a snow-covered forest cheering for each other. Their aim? Start a...
Bring nature’s benefits to young children, ages 0 - 5, in your city and support other city priorities, such as school readiness, health and wellness, and equity in child development.
At the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin, a high school student points to a banana plant in awe, mouth open wide, and says, “This is where...
The first night that Melvin Carter took his kids camping was in the back of a rec center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. His children woke up...
Since April 2020, more than 300 million Americans, or nearly 95 percent of the U.S. population, have been impacted by stay-at-home orders and social distancing restrictions as state and local officials attempt to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Families face ongoing challenges as they navigate remote learning, reduced childcare and canceled extracurricular and social activities.
The tools and resources compiled below will help cities, school districts, and partners work together to envision and implement district-wide, equity-based, open-access green schoolyards. While many of these tools were created with school district staff in mind, they can be adapted to support communities of all sizes, schools, or local community groups.
More cities are using Nature-Smart Libraries to connect children to nature. Here, Noah Lenstra traces the movement back to its origins.
In this article written for Sierra Magazine, Louv calls for recognition of nature as a basic human right of all people—and for recognition of the inherent rights of nature.
When it comes to green schoolyards, kids know just what to do — play! So where does “activation” come in? Before the kids even get there!...
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