But access to high-quality early learning opportunities is far from equal! In the U.S., only around half of 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in preschool programs.³ Families in higher-income areas tend to have better access to early education programs than those in disadvantaged neighborhoods. And systemic racism limits both the respect and resources available to early childhood educators: Low wages lead to high turnover and challenges finding qualified early educators, with women of color disproportionately doing this critical work. 

As the Center for American Progress notes, “Despite ongoing oppression and exclusion, women of color—and Black women in particular—have been leaders in the movement for child care, organizing community-led solutions such as family child care networks to fill child care needs in the absence of federal or state support.”⁴  

At Camp Fire, we are working to expand access to powerful early learning experiences, both by taking early education outdoors and by supporting early childhood educators. While 3% of the youth we served last year were pre-K and 29% were in kindergarten through 2nd grade, our impact on early learners extends beyond direct programming.  

Here are two great examples:  

Taking Early Childhood Education Outdoors 

Catherine Hubbard, Outdoor and Nature Programming Manager for Camp Fire National Headquarters, joined the organization in early 2023. Before joining Camp Fire, Catherine spent 16 years at the Nature School at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She started as a teacher and ended up as the director of the innovative outdoor-based school. With co-author Pattie Ensel Bailie, Catherine wrote a book based on her experiences there, Partnering with Nature in Early Childhood to help other educators take early childhood learning outside, and she also is developing an online course, “Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Outdoors,” for Camp Fire’s staff and volunteers. 

Catherine emphasizes that high-quality early childhood programming lays a foundation of social-emotional skills that makes all other learning possible: “Anybody who works with youth at an older age is seeing all of these issues arise—with mental health, emotional health, and self-regulation—and it’s probably because those foundational skills were skipped,” said Catherine. 

She sees nature as one of our best SEL collaborators. “What I learned through my years at the Nature School is that I’m interested in how nature can be a partner in social-emotional learning (SEL),” said Catherine. Getting very young folks outside aligns with Camp Fire’s three-part vision to connect them to the outdoors, others and themselves.  (More than 40,000 kids of all ages took part in 79 Camp Fire environmental and outdoor programs across the country in our most recent program year!) 

In addition to the obvious nature tie-in, Catherine says that learning outdoors creates more equitable classrooms that enable connection to others. “There’s an endless amount of resources outside if nature is the source of your teaching materials,” said Catherine, comparing limited supplies in indoor spaces to the wealth of natural toys (sticks, sand, pinecones, etc.) and open space outside. “So there’s enough to go around. It creates this sense of community.”  

Learning outdoors also offers opportunities for self-discovery: Young children navigate new environments, solve problems and see themselves as part of a larger ecosystem. “As you’re testing your skills in an environment where you’re free to be yourself, you’re really discovering who you are.” explained Catherine. 

She promotes the power of unstructured outdoor play for early childhood students. “It never works to take a group of 3-year-olds outside and start lecturing them about plants and animals, right?” she laughed. “That is not how they learn. They learn with their whole bodies, and they need to play and wiggle and throw themselves into the mud puddles.” 

Catherine said this wisdom isn’t new; it’s just been discounted by those who have viewed early childhood education as “babysitting,” not foundational learning. 

“Early childhood educators have been talking about SEL for a long, long time,” said Catherine.“

Empowering Early Childhood Educators 

Camp Fire First Texas is doing the opposite of dismissing early educator’s experience: It’s amplifying through their Early Education Workforce Development program.   

Travis Davis, Vice President of the program, said the 20-year effort grew out of a long-time Camp Fire family’s passion for supporting early childhood education, the affiliate’s past experience running an early childhood center (now led by Early Head Start), and Camp Fire First Texas’s role as the area’s child care resource and referral touchpoint.  

“The initial work of Camp Fire First Texas serving as Dallas / Fort Worth’s Child Care Resource and Referral Agency has served us well to meet the needs of early childhood teachers and directors today,” said Travis. 

The Early Education Workforce Development program offers in-person and virtual workshops, an early education apprenticeship program, and Child Development Associate and Child Care Director Administrator credential courses. Travis says they try to offer professional development for people just starting their early childhood careers and those who are looking for more advanced continuing education.  

There’s healthy crossover between the Workforce Development program and other Camp Fire offerings, especially afterschool initiatives. Travis is able to offer afterschool staff continuing education opportunities. 

Most importantly, empowering effective early childhood educators aligns with Camp Fire’s mission, including helping very young children connect to others.  

“At the heart of our work is helping young children have good relationships, both with caregivers, but also with other children in the program,” said Travis. “Then that translates to good relationships with people down the road, too.” 

He cited an Early Learning Alliance study of how Fort Worth kindergarten teachers defined school readiness: Instead of focusing on academic readiness, the teachers were mostly concerned with incoming students’ social-emotional skills, such as getting along with peers, self-regulation and being able to follow simple instructions.  

“That’s what being ready is really all about,” said Travis. “And that comes back to people creating environments where children can feel included and supported. And where adults have the skills they need to help build successful relationships within their program.” 

Starting a lifetime of connection early 

We all need to feel like we belong, whether we’re 2 or 92. And we all need to feel connected to each other.  

“The essential human needs don’t change,” Catherine said. “Really small children, middle-aged people, and really old people all need to feel that they matter. They all need to feel safe and loved. And they all thrive when they have access to the outdoor world. It doesn’t really matter what age you are. It’s just a human need.”  

Find a Camp Fire program near you! 

Find Your Camp Fire!

1. “High-quality early child care and education: The gift that lasts a lifetime,” Brookings. 4 November 2021. Accessed 17 April 2024. 

2. “Early Childhood Education,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 17 April 2024.  

3. “Enrollment rates of young children,” National Center for Education Statistics. May 2023. Accessed 17 April 2024.  

4. “Data Dashboard: An Overview of Child Care and Early Learning in the United States,” Center for American Progress. 14 December 2023. Accessed 17 April 2024. 

The post Little Kids, Big Impact appeared first on Camp Fire.

In this post, Illuminative well-captured the devastating stats about the lack of safety and high suicide rates that impact our 2SLGBTQ+ young people, just like Nex (learn more here at the Trevor Project). Camp Fire has long supported and affirmed all 2SLGBTQ+ young people and works to create spaces where all young people feel safe and can thrive. In fact, we just published a new study about “the impact of both physical spaces and psychological conditions that allow youth “to just be,” with an emphasis on identity and gender-affirming practices for transgender and non-binary young people,” because we KNOW how much it matters for all adults and organizations to CREATE these spaces. They don’t just happen.

We must come together and support one another – especially our 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Our young people should never live in fear. They need us.

Members of Camp Fire Green Country plan to be at Nex’s vigil Sunday evening

Please be aware of and share these important lifesaving resources:

• Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 (Staffed by transgender folks, for transgender folks; toll-free)
• The Trevor Project Hotline: 866-488-7386 (Available 24/7; with counselors trained in supporting LGBTQ youth)
• Rainbow Youth Project: 988 or call (317) 643-4888 (Crisis line)
• Native Crisis Text line: Text NATIVE to 741741 (Available 24/7; text support provided by crisis counselors)

Follow on IG:

• @FreedomOklahoma 
• @TransAdvocacyOK 
• @glaad @trevorproject 
• @WeRNative 
• @stopbullyinggo

The post Protect Trans* Kids: Remembering Nex Benedict appeared first on Camp Fire.

I’m not only a Kansas City area resident and a youth development professional, but I’m also a mom of two who watched online as the horror of yesterday’s shooting unfolded in my own community. Nine children were treated for gunshot wounds.

I will be honest and say I didn’t sleep and I can’t seem to get rid of this sick feeling in my stomach. I also had to talk to my third grader about it before school this morning. What a nightmare.

But I know I’m not alone; not only am I one of millions who are also devastated and struggling today, but as I sit at my computer, fellow parents and residents across the city who were there in person yesterday are grappling–especially those directly impacted.

I don’t have to tell you how devastating gun violence is on our communities and the effects it has on young people. We pulled up this post we published in May 2022 expressing our grief after the shooting in Uvalde, TX, which was one of 644 mass shootings that year. Then, 2023 had 656 mass shootings. In the first two months of 2024, there have been 49 mass shootings. The gun violence at the Kansas City parade started between individuals but ended in mass casualties. When will it stop?

We are all connected. Our care and response matters. At Camp Fire, “We are responsive” is one of our eight core values and something we take seriously, especially when it comes to looking out for the health, safety, and well-being of young people–our number one priority. Youth can’t learn, grow, and thrive if they don’t feel safe.  

It is important that in moments like this, we take time to sit with our emotions, care for each other, and let the shock and grief transform into action. When we allow ourselves space to feel all our emotions, our minds can begin to clear and we can move forward with clear, effective action while avoiding causing more harm.

I hope you have taken the time to check in with yourself, your families, friends, and your coworkers. We need each other.

Find some resources below for you and the young people in your life as you process and cope with the tragedies in our communities, across our country, and beyond borders. 

How to talk to your kids when the news is scary:

Access the Document

How to talk about gun violence:

How to Talk About Gun Violence

Here are some other good pieces of advice I came across today:

• “After significant events, children often want to take action as well. Drawing a picture, writing a letter, or giving them another outlet to express those feelings is extremely helpful.” – Amanda Davis, Director of Therapy Services, St. Luke’s Crittenton Children’s Center of Kansas City. Read the rest of Davis’ advice here.
• Resources from Children’s Mercy in Kansas City on navigating the tragedy of this shooting
• Call 9-8-8 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.You can also text “share” to 741-741.

Places to take action:

• Everytown
• Moms Demand Action
• Students Demand Action
• Five actions to take to be there for kids, from The Children’s Place.

The post Heartbreak and Horror: Resources to Talk to Kids About Gun Violence and When the News is Scary appeared first on Camp Fire.

Our values are our North Star. They guide our strategic vision and our day-to-day work. We’ve been a values-led organization since 1910, and it’s what has allowed us to survive for 114 years and it’s what will help us continue to meet the current moment.

On our journey to inclusion, which includes a commitment to expanding spaces for young people to “simply be”, we sought to understand how the intentionality in which we create programs impacted participants. We asked the question,  

“What impact (if any) do gender-inclusive and gender-affirming measures have on young people, their caregivers, and their camp experience?” 

This question led to a year-long study at two of our camps, which engaged transgender and non-binary youth and their caregivers following their summer camp experience.  The result is this report, a product of the vulnerability and honesty the participants were willing to share with us. We are honored to share with you and the world today: the first-of-its-kind report around the impact of both physical spaces and psychological conditions that allow youth “to just be,” with an emphasis on identity and gender-affirming practices for transgender and non-binary young people.

We believe all young people deserve to belong and access opportunities to thrive, so we intentionally craft our Camp Fire programs and spaces in ways that make this possible. Inclusion, belonging, and thriving don’t just happen by accident – it takes a lot of thoughtfulness, attention, and work.

The Othering and Belonging Institute website says, “The concept of belonging describes more than a feeling of inclusion or welcome. Its full power is as a strategic framework for addressing ongoing structural and systemic othering, made visible, for example, in the wide disparities in outcomes found across a variety of sectors and identity groups.”

Camp Fire isn’t just implementing gender-affirming practices, we’re expanding opportunities for young people to exist in their fullness through any means necessary – looking at and updating our policies, practices, language, operations, and structures.

We believe this report is just the tip of the iceberg. Our goal and hope is to scale the research in the years to come and continue to learn and grow, while always centering youth voice. So Camp Fire can continue to best serve our incredible transgender and non-binary youth. 

Download the full report below.

Download the Report

Space for Identity Exploration: Through the Lens of Gender © 2024 by Camp Fire, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International 

The post New, First-of-its-Kind Study: Creating Gender-Affirming Spaces at Summer Camp appeared first on Camp Fire.