After 10 incredible years of growth and success, the Early Childhood Health Outdoors team is excited to announce that ECHO is evolving from a program of the National Wildlife Federation to a core component of the nonprofit organization, Playing and Learning in Adaptable Environments (PLAE), Inc.
ECHO’s mission and work are not changing, our program is simply entering a new chapter. This evolution will enable us to accelerate momentum, deepen partnerships, and expand our reach to more young children and the adults who care for them.
Through its programs, education, and research, PLAE supports the integration of accessible, inclusive outdoor play opportunities into human environments as an essential component of health, creativity, and innovation for all ages. PLAE has helped to change the way we think about play—not as a luxury, but as a cornerstone of healthy human development.
PLAE was founded in 1982 by Robin Moore, Susan Goltsman, and Daniel Iacofano, growing out of the groundbreaking schoolyard project in Berkeley, California that launched a national conversation about how designed environments shape human development. Over the following four decades, that initial vision expanded into a sustained research and advocacy effort—examining how play area design influences behavior, social connection, and environmental stewardship across all ages and abilities.
We’re excited to bring you along on this journey to continue building a future where every young child has rich and engaging daily opportunities to play and learn in high-quality outdoor environments that support healthy development and lifelong connections to the natural world.
The date for ECHO’s transition to PLAE is set for July 8, 2026, and we are deeply grateful to all the caregivers, partners, communities, policy makers, and funders who have supported our program to date.
In the meantime, check out the ECHO resource page for free, online resources on nature play and outdoor learning.