Growing up WILD™ (GUW) is a an award-winning, multi-disciplinary environmental education activity guide program of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, designed for educators who work with students aged 3-7.

This is a hands-on educator training to bring environmental education into the classroom immediately upon return. The training is hosted by a certified Growing Up WILD™ facilitator and includes content-based background in science, guides, and activity alignment to both NAEYC Standards and Head Start Domains.

The activity guide, Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children:

• Written especially for early childhood educators. 
• Features 27 field-tested, hands-on, nature-based, ready-made thematic units and over 400 experiences in a full-color 11”x17” activity guide.
• Includes outdoor explorations, scientific inquiry, art projects, music and movement, conservation activities, reading and math connections and "Healthy Me" dovetailing with the Let's Move Campaign.
• Involves social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive domains to help foster learning and development in all areas.
• Supports developmentally appropriate practice allowing children to learn at levels that are individually, socially, and culturally appropriate.
• Is correlated to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and the Head Start Domains.
• The 2012 edition of GUW has updated snacks to the My Plate! food program to ensure healthy snacks in alignment with many Head Start and early childhood center standards.

To review the guide in-depth and learn more about the opportunities for your classroom, visit http://www.projectwild.org/growingupwild.

Questions? Please contact Brittnay Haag, Horticulture Educator, at bhaag@illinois.edu or (309) 663-8306

$15 registration fee (Includes hands-on training activities, activity guide (a $25 value) and snacks.)