Join the EC list-serv to connect with peers!
Send an email to Victoria Rydberg requesting to be added. This list-serv, hosted by the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education, is intended to allow educators, parents, service-providers, and others to share resources, events, ideas, and best practices, as well as ask questions and have conversation related to nature-based education and environmental education in early childhood. You can view past emails at: https://groups.google.com/a/waee.org/d/forum/earlychildhood

This Nature-based Early Childhood Resource Folder was created to share lesson plans and research. This is just the beginning; if you have something to add, please email us! The folder is set up as “view only” right now without sign-in. If you are not comfortable using Google Drive and have something to share, please send materials to Victoria Rydberg for posting. If you have a Google Account and would like to be added to “upload and edit” please send Victoria Rydberg the address you would like to use for access.

Wisconsin People and Places

• Wisconsin's Early Childhood Community's Collaborating Partners has information and resources.
• Wisconsin Nature Action Collaborative for Children (WiNACC) - Check out their Facebook Page. 
• Madison Connectiing Children to Nature Initiative
• Gerry Slater at Design4Kids helps early childhood programs, schools and other child serving organizations plan and build nature-rich outdoor play-learning places.  With early childhood programs, the process generally includes exploring how to satisfy the early learning standards outdoors.  His WMELS Outdoors Planning Chart is available on request. 
• Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education - Email
• UW-Eau Claire professor Paula K. Kleintjes Neff, Ph.D.  (715-836-5284) was a contributing author to Connecting Children to Nature: Ideas and Activities for Parents and Educators
• UW-River Fall Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Molly K. Gerrish, Ph.D.

Nature-based Early Learning Centers, Pre-schools and 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old Kindergartens in Wisconsin

• A Natural Branch of Learning, Washburn
• The Climbing Tree, East Troy
• Children’s Nature Academy at UW-Eau Claire
• Cove Country Preschool, Hudson
• DC Everest School District is creating a 4K program at their Twin Oaks School Forest
• Fox River Academy offers nature-based kindergarten and grades 1-2 multi-age nature-based curriculum, Appleton
• Kegonsa Elementary School "Kindergarten Unleashed," Stoughton
• Little Explorers Preschool, Madison
• Nature’s Classroom Montessori, Mukwonago
• Oak Learning Center at Bay Beach Wildlife Center, Green Bay
• Rio School District has "Project Wild Child" Kindergarten has "Forest Mondays," Rio 
• Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Preschool, Milwaukee
• STARMS Early Learning Center, Milwuakee
• Tomorrow River Community Charter School, Amherst
• UCLCC at UW-Stevens Point has done a lot of work with getting outdoors.
• Woodside Elementary in Hamilton School District has a nature kindergarten. Read the teacher's blog.

National Organizations

• Children & Nature Network
• Natural Start Alliance

Regional People and Places

• Northern Illinois Nature Preschool Association. Email or (630) 553-3933,
• Rachel Larimore developed a nature preschool in Michigan and wrote a book about it.

*This information was updated 3/1/2017