Learning Grove and the PNC Foundation celebrated the groundbreaking of a new nature-based classroom in West Covington at the LearingScape at Altamont Early Learning Center on Wednesday.
The project was made possible by a $125,000 grant that will help harness the power of outdoor play and enrich students and families.
The funding for the outdoor classroom is aligned with a grant pool that supports the development and enhancement of high-quality outdoor play and learning environments, announced by the PNC Foundation in April to commemorate the 20th anniversary of PNC Grow Up Great®, PNC’s signature philanthropic initiative that helps prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
“Outdoor play is critical to a child’s development, but recent PNC-funded research by the National Institute for Early Education Research revealed that about half of preschool-aged children are playing outside less than once a day,” said Warren Weber, PNC regional president for Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
“We see this funding as a small way we can help our community’s future leaders develop the skills they need, and thus set the foundation for our region’s long-term economic health and vitality. We look forward to collaborating with Learning Grove to help encourage outdoor play among our youngest learners.”
The funding will enable Learning Grove to build out a natural playscape that offers age-appropriate equipment and activities such as water and sensory tables, an interactive nature-based stone path and a state-of-the-art rolling hill and climbing area. Construction is anticipated to wrap up in fall.
“Our outdoor spaces are so much more than playgrounds, which is why this grant from PNC Foundation is hugely important to us and to the children here,” said Shannon Starkey-Taylor, Learning Grove CEO.
“Running, jumping, climbing, lifting, sharing, exploring – self-guided active play serves as a major component of physical and cognitive development, and we are tremendously grateful to PNC for their investment in the development of our children.
“Beauty in a space conveys a sense of worth to those who occupy the spacer. We’re thrilled to be able to bring more beauty to our outdoor classroom at our Altamont Early Learning Center in West Covington, thanks to this generous support from PNC and our other donors.”
