University of Connecticut
Child Development Labs

The UConn Child Development Laboratories Nature Explore playground is unique because it is a place that young children and college students come together to learn about nature, the natural world and conservation.

Young and adult learners become environmental stewards together as they explore the environment provided by our outdoor playground. Children, college students, classroom teachers and University of Connecticut faculty use the space to develop relationships with one another and the natural world. College students learn about how children develop physically when they observe and interact with young children as they build, balance and climb. College students have opportunities to learn about expressive language as they converse with children about what they observe in the Nature Explore classroom. College students can see the development of risk assessment in young children as they move through the environment exploring different terrains, walking across logs, jumping off of tree stumps and looking under rocks for creatures.

Young children and college students learn alongside one another as they research and experiment together. The UConn Child Labs Nature Explore classroom offers young children, teaching staff and college students opportunities to build community.