Join us for a presentation about how school staff and community members explored what land-based learning could look like from kindergarten to grade 12; situated in a remote, Yukon community. We explored place-based literacy and numeracy, while connecting relationships to local First Nation’s culture, language and its connections to the land to build real world […]
I run a nature-based preschool located on the homelands of the Lekwungen nation. This national award-winning program founded on the partnership between children and their environments focuses on explorative play, land-based learning, stewardship and interactive education. My hands-on workshop invites early years educators to develop knowledge and skills to engage our youngest learners in environmental […]
Eco-anxiety has become a prevalent force facing students learning about climate change and environmental issues. This session will explore the importance of connecting students to opportunities for taking climate action as a tool against feelings of eco-anxiety. Students participating in climate action are able to root their learning to real experiences and people who are […]
In this workshop, we describe research that was designed to capture the experiences of educators and students who were learning outdoors during the pandemic to identify opportunities to implement successful practices more broadly. The study involved three stages: 1) interviews with educators and students, 2) collection of geographical data of school contexts and 3) an […]
This workshop will support teacher leaders who are interested in facilitating professional learning around outdoor play and learning using the Teacher.Outsideplay.org tool. The framework for this tool was developed by experienced teachers across the province of British Columbia and exemplars of what outdoor play and learning looks like in elementary schools were submitted by teachers […]
This hands-on workshop will explore outdoor play-based learning, including the role of the educator, fostering children’s self-agency in play, the outdoor play-based learning continuum and the conceptualization of a play-based experiential learning model. Participants will be guided through hands-on experiences, small break out groups, and larger discussion to explore the content and potential of play […]
Dynamics of power and privilege created by colonialism and white supremacy culture have seen the Forest and Nature School (FNS) movement thrive to serve mostly white, settler families across Turtle Island. Together, we will unpack questions of for whom and by whom when creating forest and nature school programs, while deepening awareness around how to […]
Outdoor play and learning in the early years are essential for physical, mental and environmental health and development. However, efforts and best practices surrounding outdoor early childhood education (ECE) learning and play are rarely shared across sectors to effect sustained change. In 2023 we launched the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play, a centre of excellence […]
The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), the National Government of the Red River Métis, will engage delegates in a hybrid workshop to, first, gain a deeper understanding of the Red River Métis and their unique history in Canada. Then, showcase hands-on, cultural activities as part of the MMF’s Métis Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow (MELT), Métis Community-Based […]
Join us, Dorothy Thunder and Tiffany Smith, on the land as we share with you how we braid Indigenous and Forest School epistemologies into relationship building with ourselves, each other and the land at our land-based education program, Blossoming Flower. Workshop participants will gain hands-on experience as they participate in activities the same way our […]