Backpacks, Bugs, Biophilia, and Big Ideas

Two educators who have successfully utilized public outdoor spaces in Minneapolis, an urban city in the United States, to nurture children's development in an early childhood program and a primary school, share throughout this chapter real-world examples, practical strategies, and professional insights to help design, implement, and document learning in out-of-school natural locations. They focus on observing moments in nature and examine the learning that occurs, tying it to current academic and developmental standards. They share their processes on planning meaningful outdoor experiences, working with administration, communicating with families, deciding on locations, preparing children for the experience, preparing for emergencies, and evaluating and documenting children's learning.