Outdoor Preschool Policy Action Framework

Willamette Partnership’s Oregon Health & Outdoors Initiative partnered with outdoor early childhood experts across the country to create the Outdoor Preschool Policy Action Framework. The framework helps advocates — from parents and teachers, to elected officials and early childhood administrators — find a pathway toward licensure that fits their community and their state. There’s no effective one-size-fits-all approach to this work, which is why we’ve identified eight potential options you can use to start moving your state along the pathway to licensed nature-based and outdoor preschools.

Background

Through the Oregon Health & Outdoors Initiative, we’re working to help expand access to outdoor preschools by advocating for pathways to licensure for these programs. Paired in tandem with the Outdoor Preschool Equity Toolkit, we’ve outlined how to implement policies while helping families overcome financial, logistical, and cultural barriers to accessing nature-based and outdoor preschools.

“Outdoor preschool” is a preschool that meets either entirely or primarily outside. Also called “forest kindergartens,” this model has been around for decades and offers children the unique health benefits of time in nature along with the skills your kid needs to succeed in school.

Read more from the Outdoor Preschool Policy Action Framework.

Advocates of outdoor learning! Join the conversation about the newly released Outdoor Preschool Policy Action Framework. The forum will take place Wednesday, April 21, 3-4:30 PM ET/12-1:30 PM PT.