Outdoor Experiences for Infants and Toddlers
Outdoor play supports infant and toddler health, development, and learning. Explore strategies and standards for strengthening young children's connection to the outdoors while keeping them safe.
Learning environments are nurturing spaces that support the development of all young children. They include classrooms, play spaces, areas for caregiving routines, and outdoor areas. Learning environments are well-organized and managed settings. They offer developmentally appropriate schedules, lesson plans, and indoor and outdoor chances for choice, play, exploration, and experimentation. Learning environments include age-appropriate equipment, materials, and supplies. They integrate home cultures and are flexible to support the changing ages, interests, and characteristics of a group of children over time. In home-based programs, the learning environment includes the home, community, and group socialization spaces.
Outdoor play supports infant and toddler health, development, and learning. Explore strategies and standards for strengthening young children's connection to the outdoors while keeping them safe.
Learn about benefits of outdoor time for infants and toddlers. Find suggestions for creating outdoor play spaces, safety considerations, and strategies and policies to support quality infant-toddler programming.
Use this News You Can Use to spark creative ideas for natural items that can be used inside with young children.
Learn how to use the natural world as a learning tool to improve outcomes for young children in your center.
Nature play is important for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, families, staff, and communities. Watch this video series, and apply the resources to plan successful nature-based activities.
Learn how to use ideas from nature to teach language and literacy in the classroom.
Find out how to use the natural world as a learning tool to improve outcomes for young children in your classroom.
Learn how to plan activities that use nature to teach children math concepts and skills.
In this video, explore ways to use ideas from nature to encourage science learning.
Loose Parts on the Playground