If you haven't heard about Nature Explore Classrooms yet, keep reading! Nature Explore classroom certification should be a goal for daycares, preschools, and elementary schools. Doesn't matter if your location is urban, suburban, or rural.
To receive certification your facility must show three things: family involvement, staff development (a staffer has attended a N.E. workshop and shares to concepts, goals, and values with co-workers), and a designed well outdoor area.
Learn more by visiting the websites of the two collaborating organizations: http://www.arborday.org/ and http://www.dimensionsfoundation.org/.
How did I learn about Nature Explore? My husband and I have been donation members of Arbor Day Foundation on and off about 15 years and for the past 2 years or so I have read Nature Explore feature articles in their bi-monthly newsletter.
In this day and age when technology gadgets and hectic life styles are even dominating the lives of young children, we educators need to give youngsters the experential acquaitance with nature that many of us enjoyed with our parents, grandparents, and extended family members as children.
As a young child growing up along both sides of the Illinois/Indiana state line, I loved taking walks in the wood and discovering mushrooms, turtles, birds, insects, worms and beetles under old logs, etc. There were also times of squatting along the Wabash River and picking up pebbles while watching the water flow by. Other times enjoyed were of sitting in the yard picking dandelions or laying back and looking for shapes in the clouds. Ah! the good ole days!
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