Chippewa Nature
Center Celebrates
Published Author on Staff
Chippewa
Nature Center’s (CNC) Nature Preschool was the model
for the recently published book, Establishing a
Nature-Based Preschool. Nature Preschool, now in
its fifth year, has quickly become a highly
sought-after preschool program for families in the
Great Lakes Bay Region. The program has also drawn a
great deal of positive attention from early
childhood professionals throughout Michigan. The
book, written by CNC’s Director of Education Rachel
Larimore, highlights these successes and provides a
how-to guide for nature centers looking to establish
a licensed nature-based preschool in their own
community.
Nature-based preschools fuse early childhood with
environmental education to develop a child’s
lifelong connection to the natural world through
developmentally appropriate activities. Since CNC
began its preschool program in 2007, the number of
nature-based preschools throughout the country has
grown from twelve to more than 20. With the number
of this unique, cutting-edge program growing
throughout the country, many nature centers are
asking themselves if a program of this kind is a
good fit. Establishing a Nature-Based Preschool
helps answer that question, and provides a framework
for moving from concept to implementation.
“Nature Preschool has changed the lives of many
children and families, not only in Midland, but
throughout the region. My hope is that this book
will make it easier for other nature centers to have
the same kind of positive impact in their own
communities,” said Larimore.
Establishing a Nature-Based Preschool is published
by the National Association for Interpretation, the
professional association of more than 5,000 cultural
and natural history interpreters including
naturalists, park rangers, museum curators and the
like.
Larimore has been with CNC since 2001 and her duties
include coordinating all youth programs such as
school programs, nature day camp, scouts, Nature
Preschool and more. In 2007, she implemented the
groundwork to take Nature Preschool from a vision to
a reality – a program that now serves more than 80
three- and four-year old children from the Great
Lakes Bay Region. Larimore also co-chaired the
nature center’s recent expansion project which, in
addition to renovations to the Visitor Center,
included an approximately 5,000-square-foot
preschool building. The new building allowed Nature
Preschool to expand from one to two classrooms and
more than double its capacity.
The book is now available in paperback at
amazon.com
or as an e-book (downloadable PDF) at
interpnet.com.
Chippewa
Nature Center’s (CNC) Nature Preschool was the model
for the recently published book, Establishing a
Nature-Based Preschool. Nature Preschool, now in
its fifth year, has quickly become a highly
sought-after preschool program for families in the
Great Lakes Bay Region. The program has also drawn a
great deal of positive attention from early
childhood professionals throughout Michigan. The
book, written by CNC’s Director of Education Rachel
Larimore, highlights these successes and provides a
how-to guide for nature centers looking to establish
a licensed nature-based preschool in their own
community.
Larimore has been with CNC since 2001 and her duties
include coordinating all youth programs such as
school programs, nature day camp, scouts, Nature
Preschool and more. In 2007, she implemented the
groundwork to take Nature Preschool from a vision to
a reality – a program that now serves more than 80
three- and four-year old children from the Great
Lakes Bay Region. Larimore also co-chaired the
nature center’s recent expansion project which, in
addition to renovations to the Visitor Center,
included an approximately 5,000-square-foot
preschool building. The new building allowed Nature
Preschool to expand from one to two classrooms and
more than double its capacity.