Welcome to

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KinderNature is a resource directory created to help early childhood educators and parents to incorporate nature, science, and environmental awareness in their curricula and lives.

max

Max's Corner

National Ants on a Log Day

National Ants on a Log Day is September 8 this year. Spend time watching ants in action. Follow their trail and see where it leads you. Ants follow a trail because they are searching for food. When one ant finds food, it leaves a scent trail for the other ants in the colony to follow, telling them where they can find the food supply. Warning: All ants can bite, and their bites can hurt! Do not hold or handle ants of any size.

Featured Activity

Camouflage Clothing Day

Announce a Camouflage Clothing Day. Have the children wear clothes that match a particular habitat. Solid colors, spots, and stripes would all work well. Ask the children to identify their chosen habitat for hiding. Paint whiskers, noses, and spots on faces. Check out the activity!(opens in new tab)

 

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Let’s enrich our world together

Welcome to KinderNature!

Introduce your youngest learners to a safe and wonderful natural world. Help your child discover the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.

Through collaboration, the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition (ICEC) and partners have assembled a wide array of activities that offer experiences such as discovery-based learning through play, sensory exploration, large and fine motor activity, creative expression, making friends, and developing social skills.

All of our activities are developmentally appropriate and correlated to the Iowa Early Learning Standards. Whether you are a parent, preschool teacher, or child care provider, everyone involved with KinderNature hopes you are inspired to take learning outdoors!

Activities

KinderNature is designed to help educators and caregivers engage young children in nature-based outdoor inquiry. Find the activity layout here.

Learning Standards

KinderNature activities are written for early childhood educators of children ages 0-5. Each activity directly correlates to the Iowa Early Learning Standards 2012.

Early Literacy - Book Search

Drawing from the experience and recommendations of naturalists and early care and education professionals, search a database of nature-related books!