OutGrown

A New Chapter for OutGrown

Dear OutGrown Community,

After thirteen years of helping families step outside, build community, and celebrate the magic of nature with their babies and toddlers, OutGrown will sunset its operations on October 31, 2026.

First, we want to thank you for your patience during this quiet season—and, more importantly, for being part of the OutGrown community. Whether you volunteered, donated, participated in our programs, joined one of our Facebook groups, partnered with us, or simply believed in our mission, you helped make this work possible.

Over the past year, OutGrown has experienced significant changes. Following the departure of our Executive Director, we have not had staff in place and have been unable to secure the funding needed to continue operating. After careful consideration, our Board has made the difficult decision to dissolve OutGrown and sunset its operations.

While this chapter is coming to a close, we are grateful that OutGrown’s work will continue through our longtime partner, the Children & Nature Network. As part of this transition, OutGrown’s collection of family-focused content, resources, and offerings will move to the Network, ensuring that families and the broader children and nature movement can continue to benefit from this work.

“It has been an incredible honor to support families as they build meaningful relationships with nature from the very beginning,” said Whitney Dorer, Board Chair at OutGrown. “The changing funding landscape has led us to make the difficult decision to sunset OutGrown’s operations. We are deeply grateful to the families, partners, educators and advocates who have been part of this journey, and we are excited that our work will continue through our longtime partner, the Children & Nature Network.”

The Children & Nature Network and OutGrown have been longtime partners in advancing nature connection for children and families.

“We are honored to carry forward the legacy of OutGrown and ensure that families with young children continue to have the resources and inspiration they need to make nature a part of everyday life,” said Kristy Omelianuk, Network Engagement Manager at the Children & Nature Network. “OutGrown has made important contributions to the children and nature movement, particularly in helping families understand that nature connection can begin at birth. We’re grateful for this partnership and excited to build on OutGrown’s important work.”

Staying Connected

Although OutGrown is ending, our shared commitment to connecting children and families with nature continues. We invite you to carry this work forward and stay connected through the Children & Nature Network.

  • Join The Trailhead. The Trailhead is a free online community where families, practitioners, educators, and advocates can connect, share ideas, ask questions, and find inspiration around children and nature.
     
  • Explore OutGrown’s resources. OutGrown’s collection will have a new home on the Children & Nature Network website, alongside a wealth of free research, tools, ideas, and resources for making time outdoors part of everyday family life.
     
  • Subscribe to Children & Nature Network newsletters. Receive fresh stories, research, resources, and inspiration from the children and nature movement, including updates from their Families Together in Nature program.
     
  • Follow the Children & Nature Network. Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for the latest news, stories, and opportunities to engage.
     
  • Help keep a Facebook group active. OutGrown’s social media accounts, including our Facebook groups, will be phased out and deactivated by the end of October. If you would like to continue one of the existing OutGrown (Hike it Baby) Facebook groups as a community resource, please fill out the group transition form by October 15. We will work with interested community members to transfer administrative responsibilities where possible.

We hope that the relationships, memories, and impact we have created together will continue to grow in new ways. The end of OutGrown does not have to be the end of the connections we built—or of the belief that nature can be an important part of childhood and family life.

Thank you for thirteen years of believing in the importance of children, families, and nature. It has been an honor to be part of this community, and we look forward to continuing this work together through the Children & Nature Network.

With deep gratitude,

The OutGrown Board of Directors