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NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development

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NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development

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APL-1: Children show curiosity and express interest in the world around them.

APL-4: Children demonstrate creativity, imagination, and inventiveness.

CD-4: Children demonstrate knowledge of and express ideas through visual art.

CD-5: Children demonstrate self-expression and emotion through music, movement, and drama.

Goal: Support children’s creative thinking, emotional expression, and sensory exploration through nature-inspired play.

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Pattern

Texture

Change

Light and Shadow

Movement

Emotion

Connection

Imagination

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What patterns can you find in nature?

How does light change the way we see colors and shapes?

What does this texture remind you of?

How can you show your feelings using movement or color?

What happens when materials mix or change?

How do living things connect to each other?

What stories can we tell about what we see outside?

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Use for color matching, sorting, and creating texture rubbings. Encourage children to describe what they see and feel.

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Children can explore shapes, balance, and patterns. Paint or draw on them for storytelling or counting games.

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For exploring blending and transparency. Children can paint nature scenes inspired by outdoor play.

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Observe spirals, compare sizes, and use in painting or even sorting.

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Encourage construction and design, building sculptures, shapes, or animal homes. Promotes fine motor coordination.

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Supports tactile learning. Children can mold feelings, create textures, or sculpt animals and plants.

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Used for collage work exploring light and shadow when layered or held up to the window.

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Invite exploration of reflection, symmetry, and self-portrait play. Children observe how light changes their appearance.

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Nature Texture Walk & Loose-Parts Invitation

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Nature Texture Walk & Loose-Parts Invitation

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Description: Take children on a “texture walk” outdoors or bring nature indoors. Invite them to collect leaves, bark, stones, and flowers, then explore them through touch, crayon rubbings, sorting, and collage-making. Provide loose parts like pinecones, sticks, and shells to mix and create tactile artwork.
Creativity Focus: Children explore sensory contrasts, patterns, and textures through self-directed play. They learn to describe, compare, and express curiosity using natural materials as creative tools.

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Series: Outdoor Learning and Nature-Based Activities in Early Childhood Education Pt5.

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Series: Enhancing Early Childhood Education PracticesIntroductionOutdoor learning and nature-based activities are vital components of early childhood education (ECE). They provide young children with opportunities to explore, discover, and learn in a natural environment.

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Object Inquiry & “What Do You Notice / Wonder?” 

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Object Inquiry & “What Do You Notice / Wonder?” 

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Description: Display a small “gallery” of natural or cultural objects (shells, fossils, seed pods). Encourage children to look closely, draw what they see, and answer prompts like “What do you notice?” and “What do you wonder?” Revisit the objects over several days to deepen exploration.
Creativity Focus: Promotes observation, critical thinking, and expressive language. Children become investigators and storytellers, blending science and art through curiosity.

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Inspired By Museums-Both Outside and Inside the Classroom

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At the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, teachers take children to museums and other sites around Washington, DC, almost daily. But your program doesn't have to be located next to a museum-there are rich learning opportunities in every community.

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Description: Plan a short outdoor field trip (park, garden, farm) or invite a local expert (gardener, scientist). Before the visit, pose a “mystery question” like “What lives under the leaves?” or “How do roots drink water?” During the experience, children observe, draw, and ask questions. Afterward, reflect and record discoveries together.
Creativity Focus: Encourages wonder-based inquiry. Children use field observations to construct ideas and see their own questions as meaningful sources of knowledge.

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Creating Authentic Learning Experiences in Early Childhood Classrooms

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Bringing in outside experts and doing fieldwork can make project-based learning an invaluable experience for young learners.

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Shadow & Light Play with Translucent Materials

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Shadow & Light Play with Translucent Materials

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Description: Provide flashlights, mirrors, and translucent colored paper. Let children experiment with shadows and reflections — changing distance, color overlap, and movement. Ask guiding questions: “What happens if you move the light closer?” “How do two colors mix when the light shines through them?”
Creativity Focus: Inspires experimentation and prediction. Children use play to understand cause and effect while blending science, art, and imagination.

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Inquiry-based learning in the museum: A beginner’s guide - thinking museum

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Museum education is evolving, and so are the ways we engage our audiences. The days of traditional lecture-style tours are numbered, as more and more museums want to offer more dynamic, participant-driven experiences. Whether you’re just starting or looking to enhance your existing approach, this episode is for you. It’s packed with actionable tips and… Read More »Inquiry-based learning in the museum: A beginner’s guide

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Rainy-Day Nature Explorations & Improvisation

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Rainy-Day Nature Explorations & Improvisation

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Description: On rainy days, invite children outside in rain gear to explore puddles, ripples, and droplets on leaves. Provide magnifiers and small containers for water play. Observe and document what changes when objects get wet.
Creativity Focus: Builds resilience, curiosity, and adaptability. Children experiment with natural change and find joy in unpredictable outdoor environments.

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Rainy Day, Let’s Play! Outdoor Learning for All (Voices)

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Challenged by the pandemic, educators at an urban, public school embraced outdoor learning and recommitted to a play-based curriculum.

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Small containers with scents like mint, cinnamon, or orange peel.
Enhances sensory awareness and emotion-based connections.

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Soft, colorful materials for tactile play, collage, or costume creation.
Promotes sensory exploration and fine-motor coordination.