Outdoor Classrooms: Nature-Based Teaching and Learning for Educators and Parents

Today I'm chatting with Meaghan Duncan about how effective communication increases cooperation and elevates connection. She believes, with the right tools, it is possible to turn moments of contention and correction, into moments of quality connection outdoors in nature. Listen and learn her tips and tricks for both parents and educators. MEET MEAGAN: An early childhood communication facilitator....

Mandy and I discuss the Boston Outdoor Preschool Network's Forest Days Program in this episode. From there, we talk about how important it is for everyone to have equal access to nature, how to start a nature program in the city, and how to connect nature to curriculum! Pour yourself a cup of tea and listen. I promise you, this conversation will motivate you to become a part of the movement and di...

Have you ever heard a two year old child announce to you, "I am an artist."? This is exactly the result of Laura Delgado's tireless effort to create an all inclusive art show for young children. Do you want to host an art show, but don't know where to start? Laura discusses her experiences with the Outdoor Classroom Art Show as well as success strategies in this episode. This episode also includes...

There has to be a good reason for the change because it is difficult. Usually, change is reactive. A scarcity attitude is one of the main obstacles I hear from educators who are reluctant to switch to an outdoor teaching paradigm. Not Enough Time Why does it lack? The response from the students The anticipation of out-of-control behavior Absence of relevance to the curriculum During a strategy ses...

Have you been keeping up with my stories on Instagram? This year, I decided to try something entirely different after nearly giving up on planting and maintaining my edible garden. In this episode, listen to the story that inspired me to test out a new system in my Secret Gardens that Feeds. I've been using photos to record the process so far, but now that a month has passed, I wanted to provide y...

This episode is an Outdoor Classrooms Tour and Talk with Tamara Wineland from AdventureME and Trek Outdoors. A licensed micro-forest and nature school serving children ages 3-5 in Black Forest, CO. Their approach is not an unsupervised free-for-all, but a behind-the-scenes facilitation of exploration and learning. They use a blended pedagogy that allows children to form their own understanding of...

For most schools, the 100th day falls sometime in February or early March. Many teachers use the countdown in their lessons by having children tally the days on a whiteboard or by filling a countdown chart with numbers or stickers. Many wear special t-shirts to celebrate the 100th day of school. In looking back at the most listened to Outdoor Classroom Podcast episodes, I found a mixture of m...

In this Outdoor Classroom Tour and Talk we are talking with CIRCLE Member Katies Minor about her how her family childcare program evolved into the Wonderforest School. In this episode, we learn about Katies start-up journey, and how she brings adventure, fun, and learning outdoors. Not matter where you are in the process of creating an outdoor classroom, this episode; along with the Wonderforest S...

Due to the overwhelming success of the winter course, I have made the decision to virtually unlock the Secret Gardens Outdoor Classrooms and share my detailed method for bringing the learning gardens back to life in time for spring.  Are you an educator who adores using your outdoor space as a teaching tool? Are you interested in knowing more about planting in a raised garden bed and how to r...

Teaching outdoors fosters natural opportunities for inquiry-based learning as it involves open-ended investigations into the wonder of children. In this episode, all the way from Australia, we have Edwina Cottino from Edslessons.com sharing her insight on advocating for outdoor play, nature pedagogy and inquiry-based learning outdoors. We discuss education views of children being active agents in...

Nature is a great resource for inspiration, especially when getting children to write. Inspired by Episode #95, today’s mini-episode digs deeper into simple ways to introduce poetry to children in your outdoor classroom. They include: 1.    Share and discuss poetry 2.    Recite and act out poems outdoors 3.    Write poems in a sit spot ou...

After the pandemic, many teachers began teaching outside. The woods, trails, playgrounds, and parks near their schools became their classrooms. Educators happily discovered that nature provided new academic and social-emotional learning opportunities. Nature-based learning, which can be as simple as bringing natural materials into the classroom or setting up learning spaces outdoors...

This month I presented at the MEES (Massachusetts Environment Education Conference). In this episode, I am sharing highlights from my workshop and the overall conference.  I am also reflecting on the importance of gathering in person with like-minded educators. becoming an advocate of environmental education sharing our outdoor classroom stories. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA: WEBSITE: www.outdoor-cl...

Have you ever tried something new and felt like you were writing with your non-dominant hand? Do you ever hear the monkeys in your mind singing, “You can’t do that!” “You are crazy for even trying!” BUT you go ahead and do it anyway…. Are you an educator thinking about moving your classroom outdoors despite the uncertain and vulnerable feelings of leaving the comforts of your indoor classroom Are...

Are we doing enough in our outdoor classrooms to harvest a connection to the natural world? In this mini-episode we discuss 7 tips for connecting children with nature in your outdoor classroom. 1.    Start with Curiosity as it is the first step to active learning. Ask yourself: What am I curious about in nature? What are the kids curious about in nature? How can we share our cu...

Today we have an Outdoor Classrooms Tour and Talk with Robyn Broudie from Roots to Rise. Roots 2 Rise Outdoors offers year-round nature-based exploratory programs for children ages 2 to 10 throughout Toronto, Canada and surrounding areas. Offering an alternative approach to education, they believe that by facilitating opportunities for children to deepen their connection to natural world, they are...

In this episode, we not only look at the steps to grow holistic development, health, and well-being in your outdoor classroom; Victoria also breaks down each step into mini-how to steps. They include: 1.    Drink more water and less sugary drinks. Require children to bring water bottles 2.    Watch less screen time. Send home outdoor activities for families...

Today we have an Outdoor Classrooms Tour and Talk with Charlotte Ellis all the way from the UK representing her program called Seasons. In this episode, we discuss, the mission of Seasons and how their programs are reconnecting people with nature to benefit holistic development, health, and well-being. In our discussion, we talk about the importance of how the act of connecting to our natural worl...

In this mini-episode we explore the upcoming Exploring Nature in Spring Masterclass that will be featured inside the CIRCLE Membership community. Inspired by Episode #85 with Author Janet Fox and her book Wintergarden, in our masterclass, we explore how the world of seeds and plants cultivates wonder for children! From the tiniest sesame seeds to the giant Sausage seed, we will discuss how they gr...

“With a little bit of love and care, a few seeds nestled in pots, and a good windowsill, there’s no better time to make an herb garden with mom than in the dead of winter. Together, a young girl and her mother can grow everything you find in a spring herb garden, from oregano to parsley and baby greens, carefully tending their plants to watch them thrive, all while frigid snow falls just outside t...

In this episode we are traveling to the Hidden Valley Forest School with CIRCLE Member, Bianca Hagen, to learn why her school is so uniquely set up to instill a lifelong love of learning in children. Bianca Hagen is sharing how her forest school is growing into a Preschool through Second Grade (with plans to include 3rd-4th grades in 2025-2026)! Hidden Valley Forest School is located on 9 beautifu...

“ Don’t Be Pushed by your Problems. Be led by Your Dreams.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson In this episode, Victoria shares reflections and lessons learned from the 2024 Exploring Nature Winter Masterclass. The mindset shifts around spending time outdoors during the cold-weather months are always refreshing and rejuvenating. Come listen to what teachers learned and how this course impacted their programs....

Children need direct exposure to nature. In today's episode, we are answering the question," Can we use technology to enhance direct exposure to the natural world given children's increased access to screens and statistics around technology use? The answer is yes, and in this episode, we are sharing ten user-friendly tools that can enhance your children’s learning outdoors. Tip 1: Use Apps for bir...

What if you had a personalized nature prescription in the form of a mobile app? In this episode, we are talking with Jared Hanley and learning the Nature Quant story. We discuss the importance of quantifying time in nature to help us in making decisions about our communities. We tap into the research his company has done around how the brain and nature. Listen and learn how this technology ca...

When a heart is found in nature, you might feel an overwhelming sensation of love and wonder. In this episode, we are pondering the following question on our quest to find balance in our outdoor classroom. What is the meaning behind seeing hearts in nature? Can you create a balanced and inspired outdoor classroom environment by observing nature? Can you search for hearts in nature as an act of “he...