Welcome to the Outdoor Learning Environment Early Childhood Education (ECE) Network! 

We're on a mission to reimagine and renovate Texas early childhood education outdoor learning environments. Imagine kiddos climbing, digging, and exploring nature's wonders – all while learning healthy habits and building a love for the great outdoors. 

Our network fosters collaboration among Pathfinders and agencies to transform traditional play spaces into dynamic outdoor learning environments that ignite outdoor play, movement and nature-based learning in early childhood programs across the state. 

The Outdoor Learning Environment Early Childhood Education Network is partly funded through Texas Department of Healthy and Human Services as part of the long standing OLE! Texas initiative. OLE! Texas is based on the Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) model, which is associated with higher levels of physical activity and a 22 percent reduction in sedentary behavior among preschoolers. OLE! Texas mission is to  create high-quality outdoor learning environments at every child care center and home in Texas to support physical activity and healthy childhood development for all our littlest Texans. 

Quality outdoor learning environments provide numerous benefits for students, teachers, and parents. We hope this page will help you consider this investment for your business and school. Early childcare and education (ECE) programs around Texas are already transforming their outdoor spaces to support the overall health and development of their students. These ECE programs will be examples of what quality outdoor learning environments can do!

Join us, and let's get Texas kids moving, growing, and connected to the world around them!

We believe in the power of working together as an ECE community to transform outdoor environments. Together we can create inspiring, natural outdoor spaces that foster movement, learning and a sense of community for the holistic development of young Texans.

We strive to engage children in hands-on activity and exploration that inspires curiosity and wonder, healthy habits, and a lifelong love for the great outdoors.

We prioritize creating sustainable outdoor environments that support children now and for generations to come.

We are dedicated to promoting children's physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being through direct engagement with nature, fostering healthy habits that last a lifetime.