Nature education for kids
Lesson plans, school programs, games and magazines that teach children about nature and wildlife, and where to find the people who teach it.
20 resources
-
Nature Lab
Free lesson plans, virtual field trips and family guides from The Nature Conservancy, mostly aimed at ages 5 to 10 and their teachers. A curriculum to use, not a program a young person joins
Hand a teacher a finished unit instead of writing outreach material from scratch
-
Project WILDNew
Wildlife conservation education curricula for pre-K through grade 12, run by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, with student pages, activity resources and online courses for educators
Start with its student pages and activity resources, and look at its training if you will teach it regularly
-
Project Learning TreeNew
Activities and lessons that teach children about the environment through trees and forests, with free activities for families, sample student activities and alignment to standards
Try its free family activities first, then look at the curriculum if you teach in a classroom
-
Project WETNew
Water education programs and resources for educators, including free downloadable lessons such as The Incredible Journey and Blue Planet
Download one free lesson to see whether its hands-on style suits your group
-
National Geographic EducationNew
Free maps, videos, interactives and other teaching resources, filterable by grade and subject, plus live events with National Geographic explorers
Filter by grade and subject to find a ready-made resource for your class
-
Smithsonian Learning LabNew
Free-to-discover digital platform that connects learners to Smithsonian objects, resources and stories, where educators can build and share their own collections and assignments
Search for wildlife and ecosystem collections, or build one of your own for a class
-
Cornell Lab K-12 educationNew
Bird lessons and activities for every grade from kindergarten to grade 12, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, with professional development for educators
Pick the grade band that matches your group and start with one of its bird lessons
-
NOAA EducationNew
Resources for students and educators on the ocean, coasts, marine life, weather and climate, including classroom-ready data, printable activities and a database of education resources
Use its printable activities with younger learners and its classroom-ready data with older ones studying oceans or climate
-
Eco-Schools USANew
National Wildlife Federation's K-12 program that works with schools and communities on sustainability and environmental education
Register your school if you want a structured path to a school-wide sustainability program
-
Eco-SchoolsNew
Worldwide school program built on seven steps toward a Green Flag, with free online courses that walk a school through it
Take its free online course on what an Eco-School is before deciding whether to enroll a school
-
NAAEENew
Professional association for environmental educators, working to build environmental literacy and civic engagement, with resources and the eePRO network for educators
Start here if you teach or design nature programs and want to find peers and guidance
-
Children & Nature NetworkNew
Network working to connect children with nature, with sections for youth, families, schools and communities, a research library and a resource hub
Use its research library to back a case for outdoor time, and its resource hub for guides
-
Nature ExploreNew
Research-rooted program that works to make nature a joyful part of children's daily learning, including certified outdoor classrooms. It also runs a shop
Look at its certified classrooms for a model before you design an outdoor space for children
-
KidsGardeningNew
Resources for educators and caregivers who garden with children, including lesson guides
Pull a lesson guide for a school or community garden, and read why gardening with children is worth the effort
-
National Geographic KidsNew
Animal pages, games, quizzes and videos for children, covering mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates, alongside a magazine and a shop
Point a child at its animal pages for a quick fact file, or at a quiz for something to do
-
Ranger RickNew
National Wildlife Federation's wildlife magazines for children since 1967, with book clubs and games, available to order
Match a magazine to the child's age, since it separates younger readers from ages seven and up
-
PBS Kids Wild KrattsNew
Games and videos from the PBS KIDS series that explores animals and their creature powers
Use it as a way in for younger children who like cartoons, then move them on to real animal facts
-
Kids in Parks (National Park Service)New
The National Park Service's page for children and families on exploring national parks, with outdoor adventures and discovery activities
Look here before a park visit to give children something to do and find once they arrive
-
Earth RangersNew
Charity that turns children's concerns about the environment into positive action
See how it structures action for children before you design a club or a challenge of your own
-
Wildlife WatchNew
The junior branch of The Wildlife Trusts, an environmental action club for children and families across the UK
Find your local group if you are in the UK, or copy how it keeps children and families involved