Kingsley Credits North Carolina EE Certification Program as Inspiration for Outdoor Preschool

Mary Kingsley of Raleigh recently opened a new business endeavor, the Kinder Garden Preschool, and credits the North Carolina Environmental Education Certification as the inspiration for the business. She also notes that the program was the provider of much of the needed training and resources used to create the preschool's curriculum. Best wishes to Mary! Here is what she related to us:

A "Mud Kitchen" in the Outdoor Learning Area

"As an early childhood educator I have always been in love with the outdoors and helping children discover the wonder of being outside and enjoying nature.

I met and befriended a mentor, Dawn Mak*, who understood my love of nature and teaching, and introduced me to the environmental education certification program. Since then my teaching path has changed. I enjoyed every workshop that led to my certification and now get to put all of my knowledge to work.

Because of the EEC program I have been encouraged to start a different kind of preschool program, an “Outdoor Preschool”.

I have been able to incorporate all of the EEC materials with a traditional curriculum to create outdoor-based curriculum for preschool children. Children will learn concepts needed for standard school entry with nature as their teacher."

*Another N.C. Certified Environmental Educator!