Past Online Course Topics

Director's Series
This online director’s series explores some of the most asked questions about running a forest or nature preschool. In addition to informative webinars, course also includes templates and resources you can adapt for your program. Don't worry if you can't join us live - each part is recorded and sent to you.

Bird Language Course
Join bird language expert Dan Gardoqui of Lead with Nature for a four-week journey in better understanding what birds are telling us and how birds can help children remember that they ARE nature and are already in a relationship with wild animals. Via four weekday evening Zoom sessions, we'll focus on tuning into bird language; decoding what birds are telling us; learning how to better share space with birds; and how to engage youth with birds for deep nature connection.

Converging Ideas in Nature Education: Edible Earth, Art Therapy, and Natural Apothecary
Join Alicia Garcia, founder of Project Flourish, as we explore the intersection between cooking, nature/art experiences, and natural apothecary. Session topics include: Edible Earth: Plant-based Cooking Through Nature Play, Unplugged Wellness through Art Therapy in Nature, Natural Apothecary: A Playful Introduction to Self-Care for Children. 

The Resourced Teacher: Mindfulness, Self-Care, and Trauma-Informed Teaching 
The Resourced Teacher series is about offering ready-to-implement tools to feel fully nourished and show up every day for our important work and purpose. As teachers, we spend so much time caring for others and other people’s children. Learning how to care for ourselves, how to make time without feeling guilty, and also what to do during that time is essential. We will learn and practice tools that you can use for yourself, as well as in your classroom. Learning how to regulate ourselves is just as important as learning how to spot dysregulation due to trauma and empowering our students to do the same. These sessions will combine learning and discussing in front of the screen with movement and mindfulness practices. You will also be asked to keep a journal during this program, about 5-10 minutes every day.

Creating Your Forest or Nature School  
The nature preschool movement is in full swing because of people like you! If you're thinking about starting up your own nature preschool or forest kindergarten, this course offers specific information and tips to help you along the journey. Module one covers planning basics; module two highlights strategies for marketing and community partnerships; and module three provides approaches to support children, families, and staff. Bonus documents include a sample business plan.

Nurturing Communication in Your Learning Community
Open lines of communication are essential to ensuring that families feel safe and excited about bring their children to your program. Staff need open communication to feel heard, appreciated and empowered to give their all. Children need our examples and, plenty of opportunities, to communicate their wants and needs, too. This webinar examines some of the unique aspects of communication in a nature-based program and offers several strategies to improve upon your structure. 

Loose Parts, Props, and Tools
Yes, all the elements for meaningful learning are already right there in nature with no enhancement needed. But if you want to facilitate skill development in specific ways, then loose parts, tools and props can supplement outdoor learning experiences. This webinar explores a plethora of materials, tools and props with corresponding activities and processes that you will want to try! 

The Value of Natural Play Spaces       
There is a rich history of natural play spaces the world over. This webinar offers a survey of natural play spaces with a deeper look at substantial skill development linked with outdoor play. Research from academic sources will be offered throughout. If you want to know more about the proven value of natural play spaces, or if you need more talking points for parents, fellow colleagues or grants, this is great place to begin.

Water Play with Young Children
The water cycle is a time-honored topic that early childhood educators share with young children. But how? Another water cycle mobile? This webinar emphasizes how water brings the senses to life as young children discover the states of matter, aquatic habitats, and weather through experiential (wet!) outdoor play.

Back to [Nature] School Basics
Heading back to nature preschool? Join us for a webinar that will explore specific items you'll want to address with children, parents, and teachers. Brush up on policies, routines, and materials that will help everyone get back into the nature preschool groove! If you're establishing a new program, this webinar offers great insight about the basics.  

Naturally Ready for Kindergarten (four modules)

This self-guided course offers a comprehensive look at essential skill development for young children as they prepare to enter more formal learning environments like public school. We examine the many ways that skill development abounds across the developmental domains in nature-based early childhood programs.  Four modules identify and explore how we can nurture physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development -- including a lasting love of nature. Each module provides supplemental activities for educators and caregivers and ways to support family engagement. Course includes 6 hour training certificate.