Natural Learning Environments

The Pyramid Model graphic

Children Thrive Outside

Creating a community of child care programs and families that are striving to increase the time they spend outdoors with children in their care!

This work is inspired by the 1000 Hours Outside project (www.1000hoursoutside.com).   

The Children Thrive Outside Project is supported by Nebraska Extension's Early Childhood Team.

Team members include Jaci Foged, Kara Kohel, Katie Krause. Holly Hatton-Bowers, Tasha Wulf, Lynn DeVries, Sarah Roberts

I'm ready to join the Children Thrive Outside Challenge!

Look Who's Hatching Logo

Look Who's Hatching

Look Who’s Hatching is a program available from Nebraska Extension for childcare centers, preschools, and family home programs with preschool-age children. We offer workshops and on-demand modules to support early childhood professionals' use of the program and how to implement the program's emergent curriculum. Extension staff drops off incubators, eggs, and curriculum toolkit. Shhh, don’t tell the children they are chicken eggs!

I want to do the Look Who's Hatching program in my setting!

TreeHouse

Growing Up Wild!

Build on children's sense of wonder about nature and invite them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Through a wide range of activities and experiences, set the stage to develop positive impressions about the natural world and lifelong social and academic skills. 

Participate in a workshop

building with blocks

Block Party

Block Party is a hands-on, engaging program for early childhood educators, families, and children. By taking time to play with a variety of blocks, educators and families will develop a better understanding of the multitude of ways children learn by playing with blocks!

Host a block party

infant crawling

Guidance and Play

Learn effective methods parents can use to raise successful kids. Quality time means not only the entire family being together as a group, but it also requires planning opportunities for one-on-one relationships to grow. Short articles, resources, and fun ideas to foster play in and outside.

Explore short resources