Final Thoughts
It is imperative that our future citizens see themselves as problem solvers who can take action to make meaningful, positive, and lasting changes to our world( Spiteri 2023). While the experiences I have shared are unique to our school’ s setting, the lessons learned can be applied and adapted by others.
Empower Families
In fall 2020, as we were dealing with the uncertainty of returning to school during a global pandemic, our school decided to use its outdoor space as a safe and enriching learning environment. Shortly after the year started, I noticed that families were also embracing the outdoors. After the school day ended, they would gather informally in an overgrown, unused area that we called the side yard. Though this had never been part of our official play space, it quickly became a hub of exploration and community: Home caregivers began bringing food and blankets to the area; children developed play schemes based on things they found in the yard; older and younger siblings playfully engaged with the space. Our side yard became so popular that families often had to plead with their children to leave.
Inspired by the organic use of this previously unused space, we formally invited families to use the side yard with the understanding that they were responsible for the safety of their children. In addition, families helped envision a plan to enhance it. With their support, we cleared the land, raised money, and transformed the area into an enclosed outdoor space with interesting natural elements and open-ended materials like rocks, logs, leaves, and sticks. These became tools for play, construction, and learning. We also repurposed wood from trees, added native plants, and nurtured seeds that blossomed into a vibrant, pollinator-friendly garden.
While this was a collaborative effort, families took the lead in making decisions about the side yard. This project reflected years of outdoor engagement and an increasingly thoughtful approach to protecting our environment. Most importantly, it demonstrated what is possible when a group of people connects with nature and each other and feels empowered to make positive change.
Because early childhood programs vary in terms of resources and physical space, it is helpful to consider your program’ s and community’ s strengths and assets when developing environmental goals( Cooper 2015). It is also crucial that programs receive sufficient funding and other investments at local levels and beyond to address those goals and to deal with the impacts of climate change( Center on the Developing Child 2025). Ask yourself,“ What experiences can we offer, with the space and resources we have, that will help children feel connected to nature and develop a sense of responsibility for protecting it?”;“ Who can we partner with, and who can offer supports to reach our goals?”;“ What stories can we share to advocate for the funding and supports we need to navigate and to help every learner thrive in a changing climate?”
As you consider your own context, remember
› Stay the course, and do not get discouraged. Small steps over time may lead to substantial changes.
› Consider everyone’ s perspectives, and provide a safe environment for other stakeholders to share concerns, thoughts, and suggestions. Your work will be most impactful if you thoughtfully share information to raise awareness before suggesting changes.
› Engage the whole community. Families, community partners, and local or state groups may be eager to lend support to school initiatives.
› Stay true to what you know about early childhood and developmentally appropriate practice. Children have an innate drive to explore their worlds and experiment with cause and effect. This provides rich soil for fostering a love of nature and a desire to care for our planet.
16 Young Children
Winter 2025