SF Children & Nature | Strategic Plan 2024 - 2029 Sept 2024 | Page 12

2023 | Friends of St . Francis Childcare Center

Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Spaces

With leadership from the Low Income Investment Fund and funding support from the Department of Early Childhood , in 2021 we launched the Connecting Children to Nature program to “ nature-up ” outdoor learning environments in early childhood centers and family child care homes . The program brings together unique public and private partnerships along with hundreds of volunteers and in-kind donations of natural materials to create natural play spaces that allow children to explore their world in a way that inspires learning , movement and imaginative play .

20 $ 2.3m

Renovated early childhood spaces Dollars invested

500

Community volunteers supported renovation projects over 24 workdays at 11 sites though Rebuilding Together SF

619 129

48

Children served
Early childhood educators received one year of professional development and technical assistance
Trees Planted
Donations of natural materials such as logs , stumps , trees and native plants from : Presidio Trust , SF Rec & Park , Friends of the Urban Forest , California Native Plant Society ( Yerba Buena ), and the Portola Garden Club . Nature books donated by the SF Public Library .
Legend
2021 , 9 sites 2022 , 1 site 2023 , 10 sites 2024 , 14 sites
Family Child Care Home Early Childhood Center EJ Community