Ensuring Every Child in Maine Has Access to Outdoor Early Education
Get More Kids Outside!
Donate now to support the 2026 MaineECO Gear Grant Program.
Having high quality gear, regularly accessible, is cited as a top barrier to getting young children out into nature consistently.
MaineECO’s Gear Grant Gear addresses this barrier by offering programs of assistance to early education classrooms to purchase gear and works to make outdoor educations more equitable in classrooms across Maine.
Learn more about applying to MaineECO’s Gear Grant. Applications open in the fall of 2026.
What Is Outdoor Education and Nature Based Learning?
Nature-based learning (NBL) is an educational approach that engages children with the natural environment and natural elements as a pathway for learning. Although NBL often occurs in natural settings, it can also occur in built environments where natural elements are added to promote learning and skill development.
In practice, nature-based education includes: extensive time outdoors each day in all types of weather, integration of outdoor experiences in children’s learning both indoors and outdoors, authentic, local nature represented in the curriculum, a natural outdoor play area rich with materials children can use in many ways for meaningful play and exploration and time spent in natural areas beyond the boundaries of the fenced play area .
Who We Work With
Early Educators
Public Schools
Government
Organizations
Become a Member
We are an inclusive statewide network made up of early childhood stakeholders: early childhood professionals from early care and education programs, elementary schools, community partners, higher education, and state offices and policymakers, as well as philanthropy and families with young children advocating for Early Childhood Nature Based Learning in classrooms across Maine.
MaineECO Network
