HELPNM

Our Home in Nature is HELP New Mexico's Early Childhood Development Program’s 36-week, place-based outdoor learning initiative serving approximately 316 enrolled preschool children ages 3 to 5 across all five counties we serve. The program is designed to remove barriers to outdoor access for children and families who experience economic hardship while nurturing a lifelong connection to the outdoors grounded in curiosity, stewardship, conservation, and respect for the environment. The primary goal is to expand equitable access to outdoor recreation by making safe, supervised nature experiences a consistent part of the preschool week, rather than an occasional field trip that depends on family transportation or household resources. Program objectives include increasing the frequency and quality of outdoor learning experiences for every participating child, strengthening early environmental awareness through climate and environmental education, and building foundational skills that support child development such as observation, language development, self-regulation, and cooperative play in outdoor settings. Children currently enrolled in HELP New Mexico's Head Start and early childhood education programs will benefit directly, along with their families who will receive clear communication, trip information, and optional take-home ideas that reinforce learning. This approach ensures youth from communities that are often underrepresented in outdoor recreation are included by design, since participation is integrated into programs already serving low-income families and other marginalized populations. Outdoor activities will emphasize developmentally appropriate nature enjoyment and outdoor learning. Children will engage in frequent nearby nature experiences that include guided nature walks, sensory-based exploration, plant and wildlife observation, simple identification activities using child-friendly visuals, and stewardship routines such as packing out trash and learning respectful behavior around plants and animals. Instruction will follow a 36-week sequence using two complementary curricula, The Creative Curriculum studies of Sand, Trees, and Insects, and the NY Pre-K curriculum studies of Where We Live, Water, and Plants. Learning will be reinforced through short classroom introductions and then practiced outdoors through structured exploration. The program also includes guided field experiences that connect children to New Mexico public lands, including Rockhound State Park, Gila National Forest, and White Sands National Monument. These experiences will be planned to be age-appropriate, safety-focused, and aligned to the curriculum so children can connect what they learn to real landscapes and natural systems. Expected results include increased participation in outdoor recreation, increased comfort and confidence outdoors, improved nature vocabulary and observation skills, and stronger stewardship behaviors appropriate for preschoolers. The program will take place throughout the school year across participating preschool sites in five counties, using local parks, schoolyard outdoor areas, and nearby natural settings for weekly outdoor learning, with field experiences scheduled by season and classroom readiness. Outdoor Equity Fund resources will specifically support the components that remove access barriers and make programming possible at scale, including transportation and travel costs for community outings and public land visits, outdoor learning supplies and materials, and staff time to plan and deliver consistent outdoor programming safely across all counties.