Outdoor Learning Conference 2026

Mapping is a powerful way for students to slow down, observe closely and make sense of the places where they learn and play. This workshop introduces educators to mapping as a practical tool for outdoor learning that supports inquiry, strengthens spatial awareness and helps children build deeper connections with their environment. Participants explore how mapping can be used as a form of nature journaling, a method for documenting play, and a process for uncovering patterns and stories in the landscape. Through hands-on experiences, educators work with different perspectives, from ground-level to aerial views, and learn simple techniques that support students in representing space, movement and change.
 The session includes opportunities to create collaborative maps and 3D models of outdoor learning spaces, offering practical ways to link mapping with science, geography, literacy, mathematics and the arts. A meaningful tool for reflection, assessment and place-based learning.

Students with ADHD often thrive when learning includes movement, fresh air, and space to reset. This session explores how outdoor routines can support working memory, attention, emotional regulation, and a sense of belonging for neurodivergent learners. We will look at common classroom challenges for students with ADHD and why stepping outside can reduce cognitive load and increase readiness to learn. Participants will try a few simple activities that show how time outdoors can help students focus, calm their bodies, and stay connected to the work. We will also identify small routines such as movement breaks, short transitions outside, or using outdoor space for practice and reflection that teachers can use without adding to their workload. The goal is to leave with practical, steadying ideas that make learning outside a natural support for students with ADHD.

Session Handout: ​Click Here​​​

Bring on the tree-hugging! In the past, “tree-hugger” has been a derogatory term, but in this workshop, we embrace(!) and reclaim the power and radical importance of loving trees. The destructive story of earth-as-resource silenced the stories of earth-as-wonder – the earth as spiritual. But with a guided Terra Divina experience, we will create new stories. Participants will be told about and then follow the four stages of this divine eco-spiritual experience: wander (lectio), listen (meditatio), respond (oratio) and release (contemplation). In other words, we will revel in the opportunity to meet, interact with and gratefully hug trees. We will then share our experiences in a talking circle and explore the revolutionary power of celebrating trees’ wonder with gratitude. The workshop will conclude with a group discussion to share how those in your life – students, colleagues, family, friends – can be guided to experience and celebrate tree-hugging and lovingly embrace the more-than-human world. Here’s to the tree-huggers!

Step into the garden as a living classroom for wellbeing and reflection. This hands-on workshop invites participants to slow down, breathe deeply, and engage with nature through mindful journaling, sketching, sensory awareness, and simple creative practices using natural materials. Together, we’ll explore how tending to the land, observing pollinators, noticing textures, light, and color, can nurture presence, gratitude, and joy. Participants will leave with practical ideas for incorporating mindful, art-based reflection into outdoor programs that build connection between people, place, and community.