Childcare Outdoor Learning Environments Quality Tool (COLEQT)
A digitally-based environmental management tool for assessing and enhancing quality of
the Outdoor & Play Learning Environment (OPLE) in licensed childcare facilities.
Developed by the Natural Learning Initiative, NC State University. Version 1.5
COLEQT is a portable tool aimed at assessing OPLE quality across four
levels of 13 built environment activity settings considered to be strongly supportive of healthy child
development. COLEQT has been rigorously field tested, pre-post, across approximately 60 licensed childcare
centers in OLEs designed by NLI and has been subject to several years of scrutiny by
child development/environment experts.
COLEQT is an extension of the Preschool Outdoor Environments Assessment Scale (POEMS), 2005, which applies
five domains and dichotomous codes to broadly assess the childcare center OPLE of 3-5 year olds.
Development of COLEQT was partially supported by Shape NC, a North Carolina initiative to promote early
childhood healthy eating and active play.
COLEQT 1.5 should be considered a beta version while reliability is still being formally tested.
Disclaimer:
The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI), its partners, and supporting entities assume no
responsibility for any design judgments made based on COLEQT or for any
modifications to outdoor environments or new installations resulting from its use.
NLI shall not be liable for any loss or damage, including indirect or consequential loss,
incurred during the construction or use of outdoor play and learning environments
arising from the use of COLEQT or its misapplication in contexts other than early
childhood outdoor environments.
NLI also recommends adherence to guidelines in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission’s Public Playground Safety Handbook and compliance with local, state,
and national codes, including those governing land use, zoning, safety, health,
accessibility, permitting, and plan approvals prior to construction.
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