Page 24 - NatureStart Network
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Family Involvement in the NatureStart Network The Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center is one of
six FPDCC nature centers. It has long been a destination
Family involvement is central to the NatureStart for school children and families in the region, drawn to
Network project. Head Start has a strong family its beautiful grounds that include woodlands, wetlands,
component and our Mary Crane and El Valor and prairie ecosystems as well as a walking trail around
NatureStart Network partners held monthly family Tuma Lake. A central attraction is a one-room school
meetings. Throughout the pilot, nature play and house built in 1886, the “little red schoolhouse.” In
exploration activities were a regular topic, involving recent years, the Little Red School House Nature Center
families to contribute to the nature play classroom has added a state-of-the-art visitor center with live animal
materials, taking family field trips to the forest preserves, exhibits and demonstrations, as well as activity centers.
and introducing families to nature play activities Through its NatureStart Network involvement, the Little
they could do at home and in their neighborhoods. Red School House began to strengthen its focus on family
Professionals with a family focus such as family workers nature play and work closely with CZS and Head Start
and parent infant educators conducted programs in to reach out to urban families who never had visited the
families’ homes. The FPDCC includes families as a nature center.
core constituency, and 75% of Brookfield Zoo’s visitors Addressing how Little Red Schoolhouse staff made
are families with young children. Because family urban-dwelling families feel comfortable, director Julie
involvement is essential to a successful nature play Vandervort says, “We know families are not all the same,
program, our NatureStart Network Symposium included and we work closely with families to make them feel
other service agencies with a family focus to add comfortable, providing them with information about
feedback on the pilot project and insights on future work what to expect, thereby alleviating fears. We tell them
with families. Including education professionals and precisely how much time we will spend doing each
service providers with family expertise was an invaluable activity and answer any questions or concerns they may
addition to the multidisciplinary learning community have throughout the program.”
of the NatureStart Network. Early childhood classroom
teachers and environmental educators expanded their The Mary Crane Center (originally the Mary Crane
understanding of how to support families’ play, learning, Day Care Nursery at Hull House) was established by
and connections with nature. Jane Addams, part of the settlement house movement
in Chicago. For over 100 years, the organization has
Experiences of Supporting Family Nature Play provided family support services and early childhood
care and education for at-risk and underserved children
Each of the organizations involved in the NatureStart and families. Speaking about how to engage families,
Network developed and piloted new family programs Mary Crane Head Start staff members Traci Delgado,
and activities, and they shared these programs within the family support and center director (Morse Center) and
wider NatureStart Network learning community. Barbara Grandberry, Early Head Start coordinator found
that encouraging children to interact with nature made
it easier. “We take the entire classroom on a nature walk
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