Head Start Teachers Go WILD!

Thanks to a partnership with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, over 200 Virginia Head Start teachers have been trained in the outdoor curriculum Growing Up Wild. The Department launched this early childhood initiative designed to interest young audiences in nature and the outdoors. In the past year workshops have been offered from Lee County to Fairfax to Virginia Beach. Workshops provide an interactive, hands-on approach allowing participants to experience Growing Up WILD activities and discover how using them can help accomplish educational goals.

Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children is designed to help educators and caregivers engage young children in activities that encourage exploration of the natural world. Written by educators and wildlife professionals and reviewed by experts in early childhood education, the activity guide provides an early foundation for developing active, healthy children who enjoy nature and are prepared to enter school with ample learning skills.

Growing Up WILD demonstrates through its materials and training programs how early childhood learning objectives can be reached through use of the outdoors and nature-themed activities combined with art, music, and play.

Research shows that there are many positive benefits to spending time in nature and that it is an important part of a child’s overall well-being. Children who have opportunities to play and learn in nature are more likely to: handle challenges and problems more capably; be more physically active, healthy, aware of nutrition, and less likely to be obese; have better mental and emotional health; have a greater appreciation of the arts, music, history, and literature; become better informed and environmentally aware adults; and be happier and smarter.

Growing Up WILD goes beyond building connections to the natural world and prepares young learners for future academic success by emphasizing scientific inquiry. The activity guide also includes literacy components to provide word-rich experiences for young children that will aid in reading readiness.

The Growing Up WILD workshops are available free of charge to Head Start and Virginia Preschool Initiative educators. For more information contact: Suzie Gilley, VA Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries, suzie.gilley@dgif.virginia.gov.  Or look for her at our March conference where she will be presenting.

Thank you, Suzie and VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, for this great partnership!