Learning Outside

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Chapel Hill, NC
Learning Outside

Learning Outside provides children with experiences outdoors that enhance their current lives & lear

Learning Outside offers outdoor education programs that are interest-led, experiential and environmentally and seasonally-based. All of our programs are held entirely outdoors at Triangle Land Conservancy's beautiful 269-acre Irvin Nature Preserve. Program activities involve learners from diverse backgrounds with experiences that support curiosity, creativity and wonder and that foster a love of t

he outdoors. Research confirms that immersion in nature promotes science knowledge and fosters happier, healthier, more enggaged children both at school and at home.

07/31/2026

This summer is flying by! We’ve been busy climbing, making discoveries, crafting, playing, and exploring!

07/19/2026

A little bit of magic from our Woodland Fairies & Elves camp. Campers created a magical fairy village using natural materials. Fairies love flowers and, thanks to our Learning Garden, campers were able to decorate their homes with petals, whole flowers, and more! We can’t wait to see who moves into these beautiful homes!

07/08/2026

A few summer camp highlights! We are looking forward to more adventures in the coming weeks!

06/29/2026

Thank you to all of our Fun in the Forest campers for making last week so special! We explored, crafted, played, laughed, and more!

06/24/2026

POV: you’re 8 years old and just played an amazing game of Beckon in the woods…now you’re climbing trees and playing in the creek. What could be better?

05/29/2026

Today marks the last day of our School Program Year.

Adventurers, Trailblazers, Explorers, Pathfinders, and Forest Kindergarten enjoyed their final days at Irvin Nature Preserve.

As the year comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the connections we’ve built, the growth we’ve witnessed, the adventures we’ve shared, the campfires we’ve cooked over, the creeks we’ve splashed through, the games we’ve played, the discoveries we’ve made, the questions we’ve asked, and the joy we’ve experienced together.

Our year was full, and so are our hearts.

A youngster said today,

“I wish I could come here for a hundred thousand more years. I wish this was my home.”

To that we said,

“This is your home.”

And we truly meant it.

Everyone who spends time here forms a relationship with this place. The land becomes familiar. The trails hold memories. The creek, the forest, the garden, the animals, and the meadows become part of their story.

And in return, this place has a way of becoming part of them.

Thank you for a beautiful year 💚

05/28/2026

Savoring these sweet moments in the final days of the school year 💛

05/26/2026

Pathfinders Campout 2026 🌲✨

This year’s Pathfinders campout was full of meaningful work, laughter, teamwork, delicious food, play, and deep connection.

Youngsters hauled gear to Woods Camp, set up tents together, cooked and shared meals, played Capture the Flag during golden hour, explored the woods after dark during an owl walk and Silent Sit where we heard so many barred owls, told jokes around the campfire well past bedtime, and woke up to breakfast around the fire after sleeping beneath the stars.

The Learning Garden offered so much nourishment for our meals, reminding us once again how powerful it is for children to grow, harvest, prepare, and share food together.

There is something special about spending extended time outdoors in community. And this community has been growing together since September. Our campout invited youngsters to slow down, take on real responsibility, collaborate, solve problems, care for one another, experience the natural world in a deeper way, and celebrate all the ways they have grown, both as individuals and as a group, over the course of the year.

We are so grateful for this joyful group of Pathfinders and for all the memories made around the fire, beneath the trees, and alongside one another 💚

05/22/2026

✨ The art of stopping to take a closer look ✨

We know it well: nature holds so much wonder, and youngsters have so much to wonder about.

Curiosity deepens when children are given the space to observe closely, ask questions, and follow what captures their attention.

Whether it is looking for salamanders in the creek, watching a butterfly drift over the meadow, examining a feather beneath a microscope, or stopping along the trail to study tracks, there are endless opportunities to learn in the natural world.

Sometimes all it takes is slowing down long enough to notice 🦋

05/19/2026

We love to see it: youngsters munching on freshly harvested carrots with gusto!! 🥕

Springtime in the Learning Garden is so very fruitful, and our community has been busy planting, watering, and tending to all the growing things!

There is something deeply rewarding about enjoying the fruits of our labor together 🧡

Address

2912B Jones Ferry Road
Chapel Hill, NC
27516

Website

http://www.learningoutside.org/

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