Spending time outdoors isn’t just refreshing—it’s increasingly linked to meaningful gains in children’s physical, academic, and social-emotional development, with emerging research also pointing to benefits for educator well-being. As concerns grow around screen time and reduced outdoor play, nature-based learning is gaining attention as a powerful, holistic approach.

In a webinar that took place on April 22, 2026,  Dr. Arianna Pikus, an assistant professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture and a core faculty member of the Institute for Early Childhood Development and Education at Texas A&M University, shared findings from three recent studies exploring the impacts of outdoor learning environments on early childhood development and educator well-being.

In this webinar recording you will learn:

• How nature-based preschool and early elementary programs support early literacy, numeracy, and executive function skills
• The ways outdoor learning fosters children’s physical health and social-emotional development
• What the research says about time outdoors and its impact on educator stress, well-being, and burnout

>>Watch the Recording