IPCP’s nature-based explorations of the outdoors are based on hands-on experiential learning as well as the North American Environmental Education Association Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence (NAAEE 2010). These opportunities connect children to the Earth’s rhythms and beauty by involving them in activities related to the different seasons.

Creating a sense of wonder, appreciation and gratitude of all living things, IPCP teachers use a variety of tools and resources to meet the developmental needs of the children, while initiating them into a lifelong, meaningful relationship with the natural world. Your Big Backyard, an award winning children’s magazine published by the National Wildlife Federation, and Click, a Parent’s Choice Gold Award winning children’s magazine of science and exploration, are literary resources for both teachers and children as they discover the world around them.

Students explore in our outdoor classrooms nearly every day, often regardless of the weather, with the support and guidance of their teachers. It is not uncommon to find a class outside in rainy, windy weather looking for worms or splashing in puddles in the classroom garden. The facilities at IPCP include generous space that has been designed to support student exploration and discovery outdoors.  Each day brings age-appropriate activities guided by teachers as well as a variety of materials for children to include in their free play experiences.