Events
Free Spring Outdoor Learning Virtual Workshops!
Our FREE Spring Virtual Workshops are now live, and ready for registration! https://outdoorlearningstore.com/workshops Each 60 min workshop comes complete with a certificate of attendance, access to the recording, discounts for outdoor learning tools & resources, and entry for some great prizes! These 6 free workshops bring together 19 amazing presenters & partners: 1. April 16: The Wonders of Water: Practical Ideas and Resources for Educators 2. April 23: Invasive Species Education and Action 3. April 30: Developing a Sense of Place by Sparking Curiosity and Wonder 4. May 21: Recursos en español para aprender al aire libre 5. May 28: Using Sit Spots and your Senses to Connect with Nature 6. June 4: Métis Learning for the Summer SolsticeStarting a New Nature-Based School: Plans, Partnerships, & the Devilish Details (Live Webinar)
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Midland, MI 48640
Dreaming of starting a school? Confident in early childhood education, but less confident about the business side of things? If you can handle young children but aren’t so sure about some adults–like architects, attorneys, licensing authorities, potential landlords, and prospective partners – this webinar is for you!
This 1-hour webinar led by Dr. Rachel Larimore and David Catlin is intended to make it easier for you to be successful in opening a new nature-based school or program. In this session we’ll discuss:
→ Key questions to ask before embarking on writing a business plan
→ Components of a business plan
→ Tasks to complete between business planning and opening your doors. Wholly Wild Retreat/Workshop
Johnston Woods Retreat Center and Woodsong Forest School
McDonald, TN 37353
Wholly Wild is an invitation to an embodied, experiential retreat that is designed to transform the inner landscape of the teacher. It is a holistic, nature-based retreat for the nourishment of the hearts, minds, and bodies of those who work with children.
We invite you to join us at Johnston Woods Retreat Center (the home of Woodsong Forest School) in the beautiful foothills of southeast Appalachia, April 25-38th, 2024, for this inspirational time together.
The art of teaching flows from the inner landscape of the teacher. The greatest gift we can offer students, and the most transformational learning tool, is a healthy, whole, wonder-filled human as their teacher. Nature invites us into the fullness of our true selves. The life and beauty of our wholly wild, authentic selves.
Come, join us, and experience this rich time together to cultivate a posture of wholeness and to expansively develop your nature-based programming!
Check out last year's gallery of photos at www.whollywild.org
Feel free to reach out to us with any questions: [email protected], or on Instagram: @whollywild.woodsong
Dodge Nature Preschool Learning Conference
1715 Charlton Street
West St. Paul, MN 55118
Join Dodge Nature Preschool on Friday, April 26, 2024 from 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. for a one-day conference designed to inspire and encourage outdoor learning in early childhood. Find inspiration, engage in dialogue with colleagues, and learn practical ideas to help incorporate nature-based education into your classroom and school environment.
Join us at the Learning Conference to:
-Hike with a guide through Dodge Nature Center and Preschool grounds
-Observe in preschool outdoor classrooms
-Engage with materials in the resource room
-Participate in two breakout sessions:
1. Habitat Hike – With the guidance of a Dodge Nature Center naturalist, learn about local habitats and ecosystems. Find out what natural resources you can use to go deeper in your own setting.
2. Nature’s Curriculum – Hear from Dodge Nature Preschool teachers how nature is used to guide their curriculum in all domains. Get hands-on with inquiry experiences, wild edibles, animal encounters, and more.
The cost is $85/participant—this includes a light breakfast, lunch, and materials. Please come prepared to spend time outdoors.
Dodge Nature Preschool is a licensed child care center in Minnesota and is accredited by NAEYC. Conference is Develop approved. Free 60-min Virtual Workshop: Developing a Sense of Place by Sparking Curiosity and Wonder
Join our three fantastic educators and authors of ‘A Walking Curriculum for the Early Years’ for a beautiful walk into early years education that sparks curiosity and wonder. They will share their new innovative, interdisciplinary resource designed specifically for Early Years Educators that outlines an imaginative and ecological approach to taking student learning outside school walls. All registrants will be entered into a draw to win some great prizes! Following the workshop, you will receive a discount code to access the resources shared, the recording, and a link to access your Certificate of Attendance.Wilderness First Aid + CPR
Carry Murray Nature Center
1901 Ridgetop Road
Baltimore, MD 21207
ERAFANS and Wild Med are pairing up to bring Wilderness First Aid + CPR to Nature-Based Educators!
This hybrid course combines self-directed Online Coursework + an experiential in-person Skills Lab.
After you register, you will receive immediate access to your course on our learning platform. Look forward to engaging, dynamic videos, actions, and quizzes. The in-person portion (5/4/24) is a highly immersive experience combining experiential learning games, realistic scenarios, lectures rich with meaningful stories, and opportunity for Q&A.
You will get dirty!
The course is approved for programs seeking state and local licensing.
Saturday May 4, 2024, 9:00-6:00 EST
Carrie Murray Nature Center, Baltimore, MD
Questions? Email [email protected] Recursos en español para aprender al aire libre
Únase a nosotros para conocer las oportunidades de aprendizaje al aire libre, todas ellas a poca distancia de su lugar de residencia o de su centro de estudios. Salgamos a caminar el plan de estudios ofrece recursos innovadores e interdisciplinarios para aquellos maestros de pre-escolar, educación primaria y educación media superior, que deseen llevar el aprendizaje de sus estudiantes más allá de los muros de la escuela. Sofia Shanahan es educadora, bibliotecaria y madre apasionada por el aprendizaje al aire libre. Mercedes Bosch Toca es la Directora de Programas Móviles de Ocean Wise y es una apasionada de la comunicación de la ciencia y la alfabetización oceánica al mundo. Todos los inscritos podrán ganar fantásticos premios. Tras el taller, recibirás un código de descuento para acceder a los recursos compartidos, a la grabación y a un enlace para acceder a tu certificado de asistencia. Join us for outdoor learning opportunities, all within walking distance of your home or school. Let's go for a walk. The curriculum offers innovative and interdisciplinary resources for those preschool, primary education, and upper secondary education teachers who wish to take their students' learning beyond the walls of the school. Sofia Shanahan is an educator, librarian, and mom with a passion for outdoor learning. Mercedes Bosch Toca is the Director of Mobile Programs at Ocean Wise and is passionate about communicating ocean science and literacy to the world. All registrants can win fantastic prizes. After the workshop, you will receive a discount code to access the shared resources, the recording, and a link to access your certificate of attendance.Free Virtual Workshop: Using Sit Spots and your Senses to Connect with Nature
Join us for an interactive workshop that delves into the world of sit spots and sensory wakeups and their significance in fostering a deeper connection with nature. Designed around the book “Me and My Sit Spot,” this engaging session will equip educators and nature enthusiasts with practical approaches to introducing and incorporating sit spots into their outdoor learning. Through the sit spot routine, we will also investigate how we can develop observational skills, mindfulness, reflection, and overall well-being.Preschool Naturally: An Outdoor & Nature-Based Learning Campference
1720 Ferncliff RD
Little Rock, AR 72223
Mark your calendars now for the second annual Preschool Naturally: An Outdoor & Nature-Based Learning Campference, June 5-7, 2024 in Little Rock, Arkansas! This two-day event for preschool educators will be a chance to dig deep into practice through theory and hands-on workshops. Workshops will be led by Dr. Rachel Larimore of Samara Early Learning, Ferncliff Nature Preschool staff, and A-State Childhood services staff. A few other campference highlights include:
Keynote by Dr. Rachel Larimore
Multiple session tracks so that different experience levels
Sessions exploring both theory & practical skills
Exploration of Ferncliff Nature Preschool facilities
On-site Housing & Meals
Evening social events to connect with like-minded educators
Small attendance capacity to maximize dialogue & professional learning
Preschool Naturally will be held at the Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center with more than 1,200 acres of natural space in the Natural State itself–Arkansas! The hills, woods, creek, and lake are the perfect backdrop for nature-based professional learning, networking, and inspiration.
This is sure to be three days of professional learning that will leave you recharged and reinspired to connect young children with the natural world. Mark your calendar now!
If you’re interested in receiving registration information when it's available, click here to share your name and email.
*Thanks to our Australian colleague Tania Moloney for this perfect term for the event–a professional conference with the feel of summer camp!
Connecting to the Land, the Métis Way Summer Course
Join Leah Marie Dorian to dive into excellent learning resources for kids to explore Métis knowledge, culture and history connected to the land. Resources include translations into Michif, and offers incredibly vibrant illustrations giving insight into Métis life.NatStart 24: Charting Our Future
Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront
1401 SW Naito Parkway
Portland, OR 97201
The Natural Start Alliance's annual conference is the nation's largest professional event for teaching, administration, research, and advocacy in nature-based early learning. In 2024, the conference will showcase outdoor, nature-based learning in Oregon, which is currently developing a new licensing pathway for outdoor, nature-based preschools. Join us for engaging presentations, experiential sessions, site tours, and professional networking with nature-based early childhood professionals from around the country and beyond.