Families in Huntsville, along with several other cities, will gain new opportunities to learn and play outdoors through a collaborative initiative between PNC Grow Up Great® and the National Center for Families Learning. The PNC Foundation has awarded a $765,000 grant to pilot an updated version of the Let’s Learn Together Outside program, targeting select markets over the next three years, with Huntsville among the key launch sites.

Let’s Learn Together Outside is a four-week family engagement program grounded in research and set in natural environments. Designed for children ages 3 to 5, the initiative offers families strategies and activities that emphasize the value of nature-based play alongside early literacy development. The National Center for Families Learning supports local organizations by providing training, curricula, and coaching to ensure successful program delivery.

Let’s Learn Together Outside programming launched this summer in three cities: Louisville, Ky., with local partners Play Cousins Collective and Our Angels Childcare Center; Birmingham, Ala., with Birmingham Public Libraries; and Huntsville, Ala., with Village of Promise. Programming in Austin, Texas, is expected to launch in 2026 with selected community partners.

Research shows that outdoor learning and play yield a range of benefits for young children, from enhanced problem-solving abilities and improved memory retention to stronger social skills. Regular time spent outdoors is also linked to lower rates of childhood obesity, as well as better motor skills and physical coordination. By integrating outdoor experiences with early literacy instruction, Let’s Learn Together Outside aims to capture these advantages while equipping parents and caregivers with tools to prepare their children for kindergarten.

”Since the start of PNC Grow Up Great over 20 years ago, we’ve counted NCFL as one of our earliest collaborators in building brilliant futures for our youngest learners,” said Sally McCrady, chair and president, PNC Foundation. “We’re excited to see Let’s Learn Together Outside engage children and their families together in the wonder of outdoor learning, fostering deeper connections to nature and one another.”