LEAF Initiative

10/28/2026

So excited for Fremont Children's Academy, Inc. kiddos, teachers, and parents! This team is jumping into the LEAF Initiative like kids jumping into a pile of fall leaves: both feet, all in, and not afraid to get a little dirty! Can't wait to see how this center grows in the coming year!

10/23/2026

The LEAF team is home from North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Conference in Portland, and still unpacking the connections made there! Lots of great questions about our methods, our recruitment of diverse sites, use of go-pro footage to track where kids are playing, and of course the drone heat mapping! Here's a peak at the presentations!

10/20/2026

Let's make outdoor learning part of everyday education!

10/14/2026

LEAF was in the News!
☺️The amazing Sarah Birkby from Ravenna's Graceful Beginnings summed up the LEAF mission to enrich early childcare in Nebraska so perfectly! "The kids benefit in so many different ways, not only from nature itself, but also having real-life experiences right at their fingertips,” she said. “They get to see live bugs. They get to see the changing of the seasons firsthand. It also gives them ample opportunity for everything they need to be successful in life: problem-solving, teamwork skills, gross and fine motor skills, all those important details. When they get to have the ownership over it, there’s empowerment that comes with that.” Follow the link below to read the whole story of our partnership with Ruth Staples Child Development Lab School's mentor teachers, and the incredible directors and staff of our LEAF sites who continue to learn and grow along with the children in their care. It's about inspiration, not duplication. Be inspired.

An Education and Human Sciences project is helping childcare providers statewide transform outdoor spaces into nature-based classrooms. Called the LEAF Initiative, the work supports educators in fostering children’s curiosity, problem-solving skills and social-emotional development through hands-o...

10/07/2026

Our little partners at Ruth Staples Child Development Laboratory joined the homecoming festivities! GO BIG RED!

09/30/2026

What a super week at LEAF! We hit the road for a tour of our 5 new LEAF Sites with our design partners from ECHO (Early Childhood Health Outdoors), getting to know cohort 2 and their spaces! Then we brought design teams from all 5 sites to Lincoln on Saturday for a dual language Design Kickoff at Ruth Staples Child Development Laboratory School! The staff, students, and families of Ruth Staples brought their outdoor space to life and sparked lots of design ideas for the cohort 2 design teams! Big shout out to the Ruth Staples coaches, our LEAF community board, and DLR design friends for proving that you are never too old to enjoy playing outdoors!
Over the next few weeks we will introduce you to cohort 2: the 5 incredible early childhood centers that have already been instrumental in gathering critical data for our research studies. Now it is their turn to DREAM BIG and make their outdoor learning environments nature-rich and more engaging for children and adults alike!

09/25/2026

So proud of Fremont Bergan ECEC and the whole Fremont community coming together to make their dream of nature enriched learning a reality! Looking forward to the ribbon cutting and blessing tomorrow :) Go KNIGHTS!

09/21/2026

Fremont Bergan ECEC has finished phase 1 of their build, but the love of nature-based learning is just beginning! Reach out to Genna or Rylee to help them add to their loose parts and digging area!!

HELP US ADD MORE NATURE PLAY TO OUR PLAYGROUND! 🌳✨

We’re looking for donations of natural play materials that families or community members may already have at home, on the farm, or no longer use. Some examples include sturdy sticks/branches, wood rounds, and other safe nature-play materials! 🪵🪨

Have something that might work? Please message us! Thank you for helping us turn this mock-up into a reality for our Little Knights to continue to explore and play. 💚

09/08/2026

Our friends at Nelson Mandela Elementary's Early Childhood Development Center are anxiously awaiting their new nature enriched space! The paths are in, the plants and bamboo tipi are in, and the playhouse is on its way!

08/25/2026

So proud to partner with Fremont Children's Academy, Inc. and Bergan ECEC for continuing education for their staff. These amazing directors know that when teachers grow, children thrive! Bergan is wrapping up their time with LEAF, and FCA is starting soon! We couldn't do this important work without directors like Genna, Rylee, April, and Mikayla who know the impact of early childhood ripples out through a lifetime and throughout the community.