Fabrics Outside?

“Let’s cozy up under a blanket” ~Loveable Quote Have you ever attempted to bring fabric outdoors?  What is it like?  Does it get wet and dirty?  Do you have specific fabrics to bring outside?  What do you do with them?  Do you use them in your early learning practice? When we know the value of…

Place-Based Learning

“I like to sit in my backyard. I go out and  sit in silence and meditate. Nature is calming and I like to go out there and clear my head” ~Devon Werkheiser Place-based learning is an important pedagogical practice educators may consciously and unconsciously consider.  Place-based learning is present in the importance of our learning…

Loose Parts!!

“In any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery, are directly proportional to the number and kind of loose parts in it” ~Simon Nicholson As a new early childhood educator, loose parts are very important to my practice.  I have implemented various loose parts with various groups of children…

Looking Closely in Nature

“Look deep into nature and then you will discover everything better” ~Albert Einstein When we spend time in nature, how often do we look closely at our surroundings?  How often are we analyzing what we see? How often do we pick up a leaf and observe it?  Do we think about where it comes from?…

Do Ontario Legislation and Curriculum Documents Provide Adequate Information About Outdoor Play?

“Each child who receives child care for six hours or more in a day spends time outdoors for at least two hours each day, weather permitting, unless a physician or parent of the child advises otherwise in writing” (Ministry of Education, 2014, 47(1)(c)). Despite the overwhelming amount of research that recommends outdoor play to support…

Supporting 21st Century Competencies with Nature-Based Learning

“COMPETENCE BRINGS CONFIDENCE” ~Unknown Children and students today grow up in a different world than their parents and educators did.  Now, there is an increasing demand for children to acquire skills in their young years that are different than traditional competencies that were required in the past.  Globalization, technology, and societal influences require today’s children…

The Benefits of Outdoor Play on Development

“Children learn as they play.  Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn”  ~O. Fred Donaldson It is widely known that outdoor play is beneficial to children’s development, but what exactly does outdoor and nature-play support?  What are the reasons to plan for outdoor learning experiences such as nature walks, sit spots, and Forest…

Nature-Based Learning Advocacy Declaration

It is my duty as an Early Childhood Educator to advocate for quality child care and best practice.  Part of my philosophy as an Early Childhood Educator is the strong belief in the need for access to nature and nature-based curriculum to support children’s healthy growth and development. As an Early Childhood Educator, I vow…

Nature-Based Early Learning Practice

Forest School Canada’s guide Forest and Nature School in Canada: a Head, Heart, Hands approach to Outdoor Learning  is a resource for educators to implement the popular European Forest School Approach in North America.  Although not all programs can be designated forest school programs, there are many ways educators can adopt the forest school approach into…

Forest Schools in Canada

When most people think of a child care center, preschool program, kindergarten, or school classroom, they likely do not think of climbing trees, catching frogs, stomping in mud puddles or collecting sticks and pine cones.  Contrarily, this approach, termed as a forest or nature school, is common in places such as Sweden and Denmark and…