No Walls, No Problem! Overcoming Barriers to Taking Learning Outside

Nature is a crucial element in a preschooler's learning experience, but there are many barriers to truly getting children outdoors.  This session explores those barriers to access--including gear, equipment, fear/anxiety, socio-cultural context--and seeks to reframe them into manageable challenges that can be overcome.  Participants will see examples from an innovative all-outdoor preschool in Seattle, WA and be challenged to get out of their comfort zone and create a plan to spend a whole day outside.  Participants will walk away from this session with the beginning of a personalized Action Plan for how they can advocate for increased outdoor time for their preschoolers to families, administrators, and co-workers.  

Workshop Goals

• Participants will reflect on their own relationships with and barriers to spending more time outside with children.
• Participants will identify their role in helping children to gain access to the outdoors.
• Participants will reframe current thinking around barriers to increasing their outdoor time and discover creative solutions to overcoming those organizational and personal barriers.  

1.5 Washington STARS hours available - please register with your MERIT I.D. number if you're from WA!