Did you know that our staff team gathers together three times during the school year for seasonal Forest and Nature School training? It’s true! Training offers our educators time to focus on both relationship-building and

Gentle suggestions for persisting through resistance. Full Disclosure: I am writing this article as a member of the Out to Play community who dabbles in many roles. In my day to day life, I am

A Primer for The Grown-Ups Encouraging a child to go outside in all weather builds resilience, but more importantly it saves them from spending their life merely tolerating the ‘bad’ days in favour of a

Everywhere we go, in the real world and in play, food is essential to how we connect with others. At forest school, it’s no different. There are many facets where food and learning and inquiry

We know that loose parts support children in open-ended imaginative play and connection with one another. When one thinks of forest school, it’s easy to envision a pleasantly weathered mud kitchen, or a pile of

Water has an inherent draw to it, as a background feature on the landscape, as an acoustic presence, and as a loose part in play. But what about water as a vessel for giving children

The Out to Play Walking School Bus is a phenomenon rooted in necessity, or at least convenience. As educators, we walk the same paths as families do for dropoff and pickup, but we’re aware that

As educators who are committed to a child-centred and emergent pedagogy, we are constantly challenging ourselves to find a balance between stepping back and trusting in the learning inherent in play, versus stepping in and

We all understand the value of Stories. We have memories of being read to, of reading to our own children and those we work with. We have our favourite children’s books with engaging, poignant, funny

Water can offer so many opportunities for play and learning: A puddle can become a giant ocean and children need to problem solve how to get across.  A pond can encourage resourcefulness and teamwork to

We encounter risk each day on the land. We don’t post a list of rules at the entrance to the forest that details what cannot be done, a la don’t do this, don’t do that.

A couple of years ago I was moving tables with a peer after shifting them to clean up a spill. I asked them what their plan was. “Where should we put this one?” I asked. 

Playing with, on and near ice is incredibly inviting. Science and magic combine to offer a type of play that only happens outside when it’s cold- the conversion of life-giving splashy water into crystal, slippery,

Stories swirl around us all of the time- our own, those of our neighbours and friends, Stories from the land, the creatures, the weather. As long as we are ready to listen, the Stories come,

A fun truth about being a Forest and Nature School Educator is that people are curious about what that means. After explaining the basics to someone, there are a few questions that reliably emerge.  What

Winter is almost here! Soon we can be certain that all of the precipitation that falls will be snow (yay!) and temperatures will not only be below freezing, but possibly very cold. Along with the

One of the many wonders of autumn weather is cooling temperatures. The bugs retreat, the air is fresh, and the leaves start to change colour- it’s so beautiful. Along with this cooling weather comes the