OUTSIDE!

We believe that access to nature should be the right of every child, but in truth, every child cannot access nature.

Red lining, urban sprawl, colonialism, and systemic racism limit and prohibit many families' access. Too many. This summer, this was thrown into stark relief along with further inequities brought about by Covid-19. As the pandemic spread and the troubling response to it, early childhood centers and family daycares were forced to close their doors permanently.

The burden of operating with reduced group sizes, exponentially increased supply and staff costs, all while having little to no access to outdoor space has changed the landscape for families' child care and learning options. It's our hope that it has not changed permanently. Our community needs child care shaped around high quality programming. This has been an integral part of our growth plan and these efforts have never been more compelling than they are right now.

It has been a decade-long goal of the parents and staff of the Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School to purposefully gain understanding of what it means to hold outdoor programming surrounded as we are by urban nature. While searching for our new "forever home," we've extended and expanded opportunities through our summer Tinkering camp and the #Optoutdoors program. #Optoutdoors was funded by a grant from the City of Takoma Park which gave us the opportunity to bring elementary school-age children outside at no cost to their families.

Our commitment is further grounded in research and staff members’ continued education. It is in turn, shared by our staff through presentations at educational conferences, mentorships, and parent education. And now with Covid-19 restrictions, we find ourselves with the opportunity to model how to GO OUTSIDE.

Now, we propose re-contextualizing nature and risk. We want to walk towards equitable early childhood learning and access to nature while protecting our community's health. We are happily able to move our mostly outdoor programs to all-outdoors for all age groups and are opening enrollment. We have temporarily lifted the parent co-oping requirement. We have, with an eye to keeping our community safe, made the hard decision to hold sales and publication of the Survival Guide for this school year. This decision was very dear as that resource promotes small businesses in Takoma Park and celebrates all that is unique about our city. Members and alumni also know it provides essential funds for our programming, staff salaries, and growth.

We look forward to staying outside, all day, in every weather. This significant change supports medical advice to move children outdoors. Our plans are guided by the research of Green Schoolyards America, Natural Start Alliance along with the State of Maryland and Montgomery County directives. We have arranged for discounted and free all-weather gear for children and with the help of our parents along with hammers, nails, and shovels -- have made significant changes to our play yard.

Although our class sizes must remain small and yes, we are operating at a loss, we are looking forward to filling a need, shaping the possible, and further grounding our intention to kick open the garden gate to makes sure every child has access to nature!

No child left inside!

I had the honor to both attend and present at the virtual, NatStart2020 Nature-Based Early Learning Conference. My presentation, Urban Nature; Finding “Pockets of Green” and Settings for Exploration, Learning, and Play shared the school's journey in moving outdoors. The conference presentations are still available. Check them out.