Page 39 - NatureStart Network

• Remain passionate about the benefits of nature play family members, forging powerful partnerships,
for urban children. Inspire other people. Draw more and then ensuring those partnerships were able to
people into the fold. withstand the test of time.
• NatureStart Network participants envision a future
• Find free ways to implement easy and small ideas now. where nature is infused in all learning, and childhood
• Pay attention to what is working. Make room health and wellbeing is improved.
• They recognize that to achieve this vision, systemic
for mistakes. Try new things. Learn. NatureStart buy-in of nature play ideals is needed as is advocacy,
principles and practices are not one-size-fits-all. There funding, and flexibility.
is no right or wrong. It will look different in every
organization.
• We need buy-in from leaders, administrators, and
decision-makers.
• Secure corporate funding to promote benefits of
nature play.
• Don’t allow momentum to fade. Keep excitement
growing. Inspire others.
• Find free ways to implement things immediately.
Create skill / comfort bank.
• Respect people and do not judge their boundaries
and level of expertise.
• Be flexible and understand we are just getting started.
Pay attention to what is working. Be willing to fail, try
new things, learn from mistakes, recognize that nature
play doesn’t look the same in all settings and with all
audiences. Accept and appreciate the variations.

CHAPTER RECAP AT-A-GLANCE FOR PRACTICE

• Through the training program, NatureStart Network What’s YOUR vision? How will nature play change
participants gained the skills and knowledge to use urban life, from school, to family, to urban planning?
inquiry-based nature play to enrich early childhood Come up with headlines that demonstrate your vision
education. They learned how to connect city children for what success would mean in the arena of nature play
with nature. They discovered tools for including and early childhood learning.

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