NC Nature + Nurture

NC Nature + Nurture Our mission is to inspire a life long love of learning through purposeful-play.

Nature is in full swing now that it is spring! 😀
03/27/2026

Nature is in full swing now that it is spring! 😀

Spring is here! And so is poison ivy!A little stroll through the woods with our handy-dandy poison ivy chart today to tr...
03/27/2026

Spring is here! And so is poison ivy!

A little stroll through the woods with our handy-dandy poison ivy chart today to try to determine what is poison ivy and what is an imposter!

This is something we focus on regularly. We are in fact in nature at nature school. We cannot remove all of the risks. We can mitigate the risk by learning what to look out for while we explore and adventure!

The first snake spotting of the season!! Spring time at Nature School is my favorite!! There is so much to see, discover...
03/26/2026

The first snake spotting of the season!!

Spring time at Nature School is my favorite!! There is so much to see, discover, be excited for, and do!

Today, searching for worms, a group found this round earth snake under a rock on our path.

Everyone was SO EXCITED - and SO BRAVE!!

“We need to allow children to move in ways that make adults gasp.”I will admit that my (internal) reaction to watching t...
03/25/2026

“We need to allow children to move in ways that make adults gasp.”

I will admit that my (internal) reaction to watching this scene unfold was “Oh man! I’m going to move closer! This is going to be interesting…”

I did not tell them how to do it. I did not tell them they could not try it.

I told them that it was such a cool idea! I reminded them to run small tests before anyone climbed to the top of it. Checking to see if it supports weight. To sit on before they climbed it, to consider if their body is telling them they feel safe, and to make sure they have a way to get down.

They were so proud to have found a way to climb high onto this tree today!

They were so excited to show their friends what they had formed and allow everyone to try it!

There was pure joy + raw excitement having accomplished this feat!

Risky play builds self-awareness, confidence, resilience, critical thinking, and spatial awareness.

Someone in our classmate a feast for all of her friends! When they came over and discovered what she had created, they w...
03/25/2026

Someone in our classmate a feast for all of her friends! When they came over and discovered what she had created, they went wild and ate (destroyed!) every single piece!

03/25/2026

Explorations in echo technology.

“When children are free to play, they play naturally at the ever advancing edges of their mental or physical abilities” ...
03/25/2026

“When children are free to play, they play naturally at the ever advancing edges of their mental or physical abilities” Peter Gray.

Play it’s not optional. It is critical. It is foundational. It is the foundation of critical thinking, imagination, resilience, confidence, self-esteem, physical development, emotional regulation, cognitive, social, and emotional intelligence.

Play is EVERYTHING.

Join us on our mission to educate the whole child. To follow the research. To a truer and more truly foundational way to learn in early childhood. Join us in breaking out of the box.

It’s time for change. It’s happening now. Join us.

A nature Scavenger hunt through the woods! I love doing things like this with our group from time to time to put their w...
03/24/2026

A nature Scavenger hunt through the woods!

I love doing things like this with our group from time to time to put their working memory to the test and show them how much they have learned during their days filled with adventure and play.

We explore our woods every day, and come across many of the things on the scavenger hunt during our day to day exploration.

When the kids see these items listed this way, in picture format, they feel so proud and excited to know exactly where to look to find the things on our list!

This not only boosts their confidence, it reinforces awareness of their surroundings, encourages teamwork and cognitive skills (such as observation, memory, problem-solving), and fills them with pride.

MUD PLAY DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS! Today, teamwork created a mud river in our garden. 🎉Playing in mud is not just fun, it ...
03/23/2026

MUD PLAY DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS!

Today, teamwork created a mud river in our garden. 🎉

Playing in mud is not just fun, it has incredible benefits!! Playing in mud increases immunity, motor skills, sensory processing, mood, imagination, problem solving skills, and is even shown to reduce stress + anxiety!

More scientifically:
“Beneficial soil microbes, particularly Mycobacterium vaccae, act as natural antidepressants, while gardening encourages mindfulness and provides a sense of accomplishment, ultimately improving mood and skin health.”

WOOOOOOOOW!

We have found here in nature school that basically any day that you can add water to is an incredible day!

A Friday full of exploration! Ant nests, chickens, fairy houses, gardens, and climbing.
03/20/2026

A Friday full of exploration!

Ant nests, chickens, fairy houses, gardens, and climbing.

Today we visited the chickens to deliver the worms we have been collecting from all around our school. Caring for animal...
03/18/2026

Today we visited the chickens to deliver the worms we have been collecting from all around our school.

Caring for animals fosters empathy, boosts immunity, and encourages an understanding of nonverbal communication.

We watch the chickens for signs of excitement (when we offer them worms or seeds), acceptance of touch (when they stay near us or sit with us), or signs they do not want to interact today (walking away from us).

These interactions remind us that all living things have feelings, and is an incredible foundational skill to be able to notice emotions based on nonverbal cues.

How low can you go?? A classic! This is an incredible game l! The kids get so amped up for the challenge of the highs an...
03/17/2026

How low can you go??

A classic!

This is an incredible game l! The kids get so amped up for the challenge of the highs and the lows!

They want to do each level NO MATTER WHAT! They get super creative with tumbling, crawling like cats, jumping over the stick, and slithering like snakes. 😆

Address

9900 Horton Road
New Hill, NC
27562

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 1pm
Tuesday 9am - 1pm
Wednesday 9am - 1pm
Thursday 9am - 1pm
Friday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+19196085864

Website

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