UMD faculty from the Childhood Nature Studies program are leading a statewide initiative to make outdoor and nature-based learning accessible for young children.
Professor Julie Ernst and Assistant Professor Claire Underwood, in partnership with Ojibwe Knowledge Keeper Thelma Nayquonabe (EdD, '23), have been awarded a $64,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families. They will be collecting data from May to September for the "From Caterpillar to Butterfly" project in partnership with community advisors. Their findings will inform the development of a coaching program to support the integration of nature-based learning into early childhood settings, such as daycares and preschools.
This work builds on years of collaborative research. Underwood notes that the project "represents an important step toward nurturing the capacity among educators, programs, and families to ensure that all children have access to nature-based learning that is culturally sustaining and grounded in reciprocity and connection to the land."