Take the Learning Outdoors
When things feel turned around and upside down, turn to nature for solace and safety. Breathe the fresh air and find joy among the trees and rocks.
Get Kids Moving
The outdoors is the best place to be as we fight Covid-19 and experience the beauty of fall. Don’t miss the opportunity on warm days for water play, bike rides, creek walking and neighborhood mapping. Go ahead and get lost!
A Fresh Perspective
New resources for exploring fruits and veggies, along with some nuggets for appreciating the farmers, truckers, grocery clerks, parents, and all the others who bring them to our table.
Pandemic Journaling
Journaling works best with prompts and structure. Use the five activities in this post to reflect on how times are changing, feelings about those changes, and what you’re doing differently.
Be a Soil Detective
Discover the amazing critters in your own backyard! And the ways they create healthy soils to grow vegetables, flowers and people!
NEW Print-and-Go Resources!
These Mindfulness Resources are great for kids and parents alike. We need all the tools for managing stress we can get.
Sprouts
Stretch your parenting skills for your stay-at-home kiddos with the Next Step kids’ Garden Curriculum! Easy-to-use activities, experiments, and gardening tips for first-time AND experienced gardeners as well.
Breathe
Next Step’s resources to move past fight, flight, freeze, or freak out. When you need just a five-minute pause, our Mindfulness & Movement Activity Cards provide a guide to find Calm, Focus, Breath, and Movement.
Resources for a Mindful Classroom
Research is showing that even a few brief mindful moments a day can help relieve some of the pressure that kids AND ADULTS are feeling. Moving our bodies is also key to sharpening our minds.
Brain Breaks
Not only is movement good for physical health, but it’s good for mental health–focus and executive function. We’ve enjoyed working with the Iowa Department of Public Health as they rolled out Brain Breaks.