Webinar with Dr. Muntazar Monsur, Texas Tech University

For decades, outdoor design for young children has focused heavily on increasing physical activity—but Dr. Muntazar Monsur’s research demonstrates that this narrow lens misses the fuller picture of how children grow, learn, and thrive in outdoor environments. Drawing on many years of design scholarship, two USDA-funded projects, and several recent scientific publications, Dr. Monsur argues for a whole-child model of outdoor environments—one that values not only movement, but also cognitive exploration, imaginative play, sensory engagement, social connection, and the simple joy of learning in nature.

In this webinar, Dr. Monsur will share how evidence from behavior mapping and observations, and video data can be interpreted more realistically, avoiding common misreadings that reduce design decisions to single metrics. He will demonstrate how data—when viewed holistically—can guide designers, educators, and childcare providers toward designing/creating outdoor spaces that support the entire spectrum of child development. Participants will learn how to translate research findings into practical design strategies, how to evaluate outdoor environments beyond activity counts, and how to advocate for nature-rich landscapes that truly serve children’s whole selves. This session offers a grounded, research-informed pathway to designing outdoor spaces that nurture children’s bodies, minds, creativity, and curiosity.

Registration $10. Members can always register for FREE - learn more about membership: https://www.texaschildreninnature.org/give/membership

If you are a member, please refer to your Membership Information Email to see instructions for registering

Webinar offered at 2:00 Central on April 22, 2026

Ticket Sales will end on April 21, 2026

Webinar will be recorded and available for members and registrants

A Zoom link will be emailed from a TCiNN Staff Member to registrants prior to the event

Please note - no AI note takers will be allowed into the webinars

Registration: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/texaschildreninnaturenetwork/evidence-based-landscape-design-for-a-whole-child-model