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Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

Smiles R’ Us Big Kids

Smiles R’Us Big Kids added play value to their outdoor learning environment by making numerous enhancements to diversify children’s experience. The surfacing of this site was hard compacted soil. To improve the space, the center adds a multipurpose lawn area, a primary pathway, with its wooden bridge, an outdoor classroom, raised garden beds, a freestanding swing, and a pergola with vines cascading from the sides. Other additions include the extension of the outdoor space to make room for a paved basketball court and goal for the older children.

Address: 37340 Hwy 561, Hollister, NC 27844

Phone Number: (252) 586-3180

County: Halifax
Local Partnership: Halifax-Warren Smart Start Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 4

Capacity: 30

Schematic Master Plan

Before Renovation

After Renovation

Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

Scotland Neck Elementary Leadership Academy

Located in Scotland Neck NC, Scotland Neck Elementary Leadership Academy added several settings and components to their outdoor learning environment in an effort to enhance play value. A sand play area, grassy mound, raised deck, playhouse, and acoustic play were all incorporated into the space. Furthermore, a raised garden bed, trees, a stump circle, trikes, and wheeled toy storage are all new enhancements. The focal point, the primary pathway, leads children to all of the diverse new settings and components in the OLE.

Address: 913 Junior High Road, Scotland Neck, NC 27874

Phone Number: (252) 826-4413

County: Halifax
Local Partnership: Halifax-Warren Smart Start Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 5

Capacity: 18

Schematic Master Plan

Before Renovation

After Renovation

Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

Pittman Elementary Leadership Academy

Pittman Elementary Leadership Academy has created a welcoming space with the inclusion of a looped primary pathway around the existing manufactured play equipment. A new outdoor classroom, playhouse, and sand play area were constructed, all of which provide additional shade. Outdoor storage was added to the environment for the children’s wheeled toys and other play equipment. A grassy mound was created for the children to enjoy active play, ranging from walking, running, and rolling down. Components incorporated into the outdoor space included a raised garden bed, acoustic play, child-sized benches, and wheeled toys.

Address: 25041 Hwy 561, Enfield, NC 27823

Phone Number: (252) 445-5268

County: Halifax
Local Partnership: Halifax-Warren Smart Start Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 5

Capacity: 18

Schematic Master Plan

Before Renovation

After Renovation

Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

Weldon Preschool Global Academy

Weldon Preschool Global Academy has completely transformed the outdoor learning environment with the inclusion of new settings and components. The fence line was moved to expand the children’s play area. Twenty trees were planted to add much-needed shading to the space for sun protection and enhanced natural elements. A sand play area, teepee, playhouse, performance stage, acoustic play, raised vegetable garden,” earth play” and a picnic table were constructed for children to enjoy. A new paved primary pathway, trikes, and wheeled toy storage were an added bonus to the OLE.

Address: 805 Washington Avenue, Weldon, NC 27890

Phone Number: (252) 536-4815

County: Halifax
Local Partnership: Halifax-Warren Smart Start Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 5

Capacity: 72

Schematic Master Plan

Before Renovation

After Renovation

Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

Weldon Day Care Center

Weldon Day Care Center serves infants, toddlers, and preschool children so a spectrum of settings and components were added to meet the needs of the various age groups.

In the infant area, a free-standing porch swing, an arbor, trees, pull-up rails, and a sensory herb garden were added.

The toddler’s outdoor environment consists now of a multi-purpose lawn, trees, teepee, playhouse, water table play, trike tunnels, and an acoustic play area.

The preschool area has a new primary pathway for their riding toys, an art easel, a balance beam, a low deck for the art area, a multi-purpose lawn, trees, and plantings.

Address: 1505 Washington Avenue, Weldon, NC 27890

Phone Number: (252) 536-2409

County: Halifax
Local Partnership: Halifax-Warren Smart Start Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 5

Capacity: 54

Schematic Master Plan

Before Renovation

After Renovation

Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

Smiles R’ Us Child Care

Smiles R’ Us Child Care moved its location during the course of the Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids Project. As a result, a new outdoor space needed to be created.

Additions included trees for shading, an art wall, an acoustic play area, pull-up rails, an infant deck and pergola, stepping stools, balance beams, art easels, trikes, a free-standing swing, and a raised garden. With these new additions, the children can enjoy limitless opportunities in their new naturalized space.

Address: 36877 HWY 561, Hollister, NC 27844

Phone Number: (252) 586-3181

County: Halifax
Local Partnership: Halifax-Warren Smart Start Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 4

Capacity: 36

Schematic Master Plan

Before Renovation

After Renovation

Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids

Abram’s Child Care Center

Abram’s Child Care Center has diversified its outdoor space by expanding its outdoor space to include a new area on its property, separate from an already existing OLE. In the new area, a fence was installed with a primary pathway located in the center of the outdoor environment. Accompanying the pathway are stepping stones, a pathway lined with tire planters, a playhouse, a low deck, and a water play table. Other settings added include a sand play area, a teepee, a music wall, a natural construction area, and a mud kitchen. To create a welcoming atmosphere, an arbor was constructed at the entrance of the OLE.

Address: 6576 NC-56, Tillery, NC 27839

Phone Number: (252) 826-5519

County: Halifax
Local Partnership: Halifax-Warren Smart Start Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 5

Capacity: 12

Schematic Master Plan

Before Renovation

After Renovation

Shape NC

Tabernacle Pre-K

Tabernacle Pre-K has installed a rich outdoor learning environment (OLE) in an underused open area at Tabernacle Elementary School.  A winding double-looped primary pathway connects a diverse range of settings and components such as a mud kitchen, teepee, bridges, dry stream bed, and covered sand play area.

They also installed a stump circle for reading and gathering, and the addition of small trees and an arbor helps naturalize the OLE and provide pockets of shade.

Address: 4901 Tabernacle School Road Asheboro, NC 27205

Phone Number: (336) 629-3533

County: Randolph
Local Partnership: Randolph Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 5

Capacity: 36

Schematic Master Plan (2020)

Before Renovation (2019)

After Renovation (2020)

Shape NC

Beacon Child Development Center

Beacon Child Development Center in Asheboro, NC has reworked some fencelines to better maximize the potential of their outdoor learning environment.  They have added primary pathways in their ones and fours/afterschool areas, to better define those spaces and add opportunities for gross motor development.

A multipurpose lawn area in the middle of the primary pathway in the fours/afterschool area provides room for gathering and games, and a low, multipurpose stage with a pergola for shade allows for dramatic play and outdoor loose parts play.

Address: 616 Albemarle Rd., Asheboro, NC 27203

Phone Number: (336) 626-5370

County: Randolph
Local Partnership: Randolph Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: Temporary License

Capacity: 120

Schematic Master Plan (2020)

Before Renovation (2019)

After Renovation (2020)

Shape NC

Harmony Place

Harmony Place in Asheboro has completely transformed an asphalt parking lot into a vibrant outdoor learning environment, organized by a primary boardwalk primary pathway to encourage movement.  The children now have the opportunity to grow edible plants in a large raised fruit and vegetable garden and interact with shade trees, a multipurpose lawn, ornamental grasses, and flowering perennials. 

The center also transformed an unused large covered area, adjacent to their existing infant/toddler area, into a comfortable, welcoming, and engaging area.  They have also added an art area with easels and a low multipurpose stage.

Address: 312 West Ward Street Asheboro, NC 27203

Phone Number: (336) 633-1888

County: Randolph
Local Partnership: Randolph Partnership for Children

NC Star Rating: 5

Capacity: 137

Schematic Master Plan (2020)

Before Renovation (2019)

After Renovation (2020)