Across the globe, growing numbers of educators are recognizing that connecting young
children with their environment needs to be a fundamental part of early childhood
education. Preschools, daycare centers, head start programs, nature centers, zoos, and
parks departments are incorporating environment and nature focused experiences into
their programs. They are providing opportunities for young children to play in nature,
explore their local surroundings, and learn about themselves, others, and their
environment. We strongly believe that this education is crucial and that giving young
people access to nature and high quality environmental education programming will
provide a firm foundation leading to environmental literacy.