6:00pm - 6:30pm Arrival and pick up your package

6:30pm - 8:00pm We are bringing in a variety of hands-on, interactive experience to support connection to each other and nature. Learn how to use ferro rods to start a fire, create art with natural materials, and more! Stay tuned for full list of experiences!

Yoga with Kim *optional*

Bring your own towel or mat.

Within a small group setting, we will explore gentle movement, breath work, and relaxation/meditation strategies.  You will have an opportunity to connect with yourself and build supportive patterns enabling better movement, ease, relaxation, and resilience.

My name is Kim Marion, and I’m passionate about supporting people in their ability to do the activities that are meaningful to them.  As an Occupational Therapist for 25 years and through my training in yoga therapy, I have experience seeing and understanding how the connections within our body and mind impact our ability to move and function in work, school, recreation/sports, caregiving, and self-care activities.  Patterns of movement/thinking/feeling develop in all of us from life events (i.e., pregnancy, illness, work, trauma, injuries, sports) and while some patterns are supportive, some patterns are less helpful as our biomechanics, anatomy, and mental/emotional states shift.

8:30am Welcome Christina Pickles and Devon Karchut

8:35am Land Acknowledgement and Welcome Crystal Many Fingers

8:45am

Bringing our hearts and minds together in Gratitude and Song with Dave Verhulst

Coming together to share ideas, stories, and experiences about connecting children with nature enriches our lives.  For many of us, it’s a rare opportunity to be with other like minded adults and to be re-inspired and remember that inner spark that initially got us into this work.  To help us come together, we’ll begin the day with gratitude - a powerful practice that reminds us of all the animals, plants and elements that support us daily and teach us. Through song and stories, we’ll presence the magic of nature before immersing ourselves in the many wonderful sessions available this weekend.

Dave Verhulst

Dave believes the natural world is one of our most powerful teachers and mentors. Through sharing stories and experiences in the landscape, he helps children and adults develop a strong connection with themselves and nature. In 2011, he co-founded Forest Play in Canmore based on Forest School models and the 8 Shields Mentoring Model. With over 20 years professional guiding experience, Dave facilitates programs for children ages 4-14. He also facilitates leadership programs for the Pacific Centre for Leadership and the Banff Centre. He has a Master's Degree in Recreation Management, is an accredited Master Interpretive Guide. Dave is the proud father of 2 girls and enjoys many outdoor adventures with his family.

Outdoor Documentation: A Sensory Safari Through Play and Place

This session will re-frame outdoor documentation it as a sensory-rich journey of ecological identity and connection to place. Using the metaphor of a safari tour, you will be guided through a hands-on exploration of capturing outdoor play as vibrant “ecological stories of being.” This session will empower you to weave sensory details, seasonal land-based learning, and the magic of nature into their documentation, while also fostering stronger connections with families.

Hester Laubscher

I am a Level 3 Early Childhood Educator, certified play-based leader, mentor and consultant in Calgary, Alberta, with over a decade of day home experience running my licensed day home (Teeny Tykes Home Daycare). The day home children and I spend one to five hours outdoors each day; together, we nurture a deep connection to nature, fostering stewardship, sustainability, well-being, and belonging. My day home follows a play-based approach, emergent curriculum, seasonal pedagogy, place pedagogy, and land-based learning.

Core Routines

In this session, educators will explore 4 simple core routines that support outdoor learning and set educators and students up for success. We will work through the core routines, just like we would outside with our students! We will be the students! We will be inquisitive, play, reflect and collaborate! I will also share practical and accessible resources to support you in getting students outside to play and learn.

Xena Biffert

I am a daughter, sister, and mother, learning off the land, whenever I can, in Mohkinstis alongside my team at the Calgary Catholic School District where we support elementary teachers in delivering curriculum in creative ways. I am completing my Masters of Education focusing on Sustainability, Creativity and Innovation through Cape Breton University. My passion is supporting teachers in sparking the joy, within the classroom.

Earth Walks - Connecting Children with the Natural World

This session will share environmental and nature-based learning activities facilitating hands-on exploration that spark imagination, connection and joy. With the emphasis placed on the sensory experience of the forest rather than imparting factual knowledge, these activities support children in building a more profound sense of relationship, through both feelings and understanding, with the natural world. These activities help to promote an overall sense of well-being in children, supporting what research continues to demonstrate: spending time in nature is good for us.

Christine Jenik

Christine Jenik is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and the Prairie-Mountain Rep for the NFTC (National Forest Therapy Canada). Before becoming a Forest Therapy Guide, Chris was a teacher and school administrator with the Calgary Board of Education for 34 years. She has facilitated outdoor environmental programs for schools in Canada and the United States.

After retiring she did the training with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy to become a certified Forest Therapy Guide.

Making Connections Around the World Through Nature

This session will show how to connect two countries by what they share and don't share through the lens of plants and geography. At the Comitato Promotore della Lingua Italiana - Italian Language School, we are outdoors for at least half the day. We hope our students come away with a love of learning and speaking Italian and how it can be connected inside the classroom and, more importantly, OUTside the classroom within a world full of beauty.

Antonella Cortese

Director and a Teacher at the Comitato Promotore della Lingua Italiana (CPLI) – Italian Language School, Ms. Cortese holds a Doctorate of Education and Policy Studies and a Master Degree in Bilingual/Bicultural Education. Ms. Cortese has taught Italian and ESL, K to University level for over 20 years. She proudly shares the work and teaching done at the CPLI at various conferences and with international colleagues. She has been the Director and a Teacher at the CPLI since its inception in 2008. The children at the school spend half their time outdoors exploring what nature has to offer.

Understanding Indigenous values and All our Relations

Crystal will read from her children's book "Creator and the 7 Animals" and show how each of our relations (animals) represent values that help the Niitsitapi (real people) should live by each day. In this interactive session, participants will have a chance to share which animals they relate to and the value it embodies.

Crystal Many Fingers

Crystal Manyfingers is the daughter of Dr. Helen and Wallace Manyfingers and the mother to Patricia and Alexander Soop. Her tri-pod family have lived in the City of Calgary (Mohkintsis) for over 25 years.  Crystal and her family are all members of the Kainai Nation of the great Blackfoot Confederacy who signed Treaty Seven in 1877.

Crystal holds a B.A., B.Ed., and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Calgary.  She has been involved in the field of Indigenous and Adult education for many years. She has written numerous magazine articles, published a children’s book and was a TedX speaker in March of 2020.

Nature’s Narrative: Telling the Story of Play Through Documentation

Join us for an engaging and interactive session to empower early childhood educators with tools to advocate for nature play through thoughtful documentation. Together, we’ll explore examples of effective documentation and collaborate on brainstorming creative approaches to capturing the magic of outdoor learning. Discover strategies to transform documentation into a powerful advocacy tool, helping others understand the value of nature play in fostering growth, creativity, and connection. Let’s tell the story of play—one that inspires, informs, and ignites change!

Brittany Caldwell

Brittany Caldwell is a passionate Early Childhood Educator (ECE) with over ten years of experience and a Level Two Early Childhood certification. Driven by a love for art, nature, and play, Brittany founded Creative Seeds, a mobile nature classroom offering specialized programs to preschools, daycares, and an extensive camp program.

Through her work, Brittany inspires young learners to explore, create, and connect with the natural world, fostering growth and curiosity in every child she serves.

20 ways to use a tree cone for speech and language skills

Supporting speech and language development for young children can happen anywhere, even outside! There is emerging research highlighting how using natural materials in the environment during play has significant benefits for children's communication development. This presentation will empower educators to use their natural surroundings to unlock their inner child and identify ways to use natural materials as a tool for play and communication. Led by a Speech-Language Pathologist, you will come away with practice ideas you can implement in your work on Monday morning!

Abbey Massar

Abbey is a neurodiversity-affirming and play-based speech-language pathologist in her own private practice in Calgary, AB. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast and spends as much time as she can exploring the Canadian Rockies. Abbey has experienced the many benefits of spending time outside and is passionate about bringing this to her clients and their families.

Outdoor Play through the Seasons

There is no such thing as bad weather when you're dressed for it!  In this session, you'll learn how to dress for the weather and how to spark excitement with each season: from play experiences like puddle play, worm rescues, searching for bugs, snow volcanos, animal habitats, snow kitchens, forts, stick mazes to games that keep you moving throughout the seasons. You will come away with new ideas to inspire play and learning no matter the season or weather.

Mary Roy

My name is Mary Roy and I've been teaching with the Calgary Board of Education since 2007. I have a passion for early learning and outdoor education and have found a way to incorporate both into my everyday teaching. Through playful inquiry, children develop a deep love for the beautiful world around them that is carried on throughout their lives.  I believe that children naturally desire to learn about the world around them, and the best way to do that is to get them outside!

Building Confidence Through Risk: Outdoor Adventures for Young Children

This workshop equips educators with hands-on tools and strategies for incorporating risky play into their settings. Through role-playing, navigating rough terrain, balancing, and group discussions, participants will learn how to balance safety and freedom while supporting children's physical and emotional development through risky play in a natural setting.

Rochellie Lywin

Rochellie Lywin is a certified Lead Forest and Nature School Practitioner and Level 3 Early Childhood Educator. She founded Three Pines Outdoor and Nature Play, a program dedicated to fostering curiosity, resilience, and meaningful connections with children, families, and educators through nature-based play. Rochellie's passion for nature-based play is evident in her work, as she creates engaging, hands-on experiences that inspire a lifelong love of learning.

Stories of Connection

Humans are the “story telling animal.” Since the beginning, stories have helped shape us - we use them to weave our feelings, experiences, thoughts and ideas into threads of meaning. Stories are one of our most powerful tools for motivating and inspiring curiosity and activities that will drive children (and adults) towards a deep connection with nature.

Drawing from our experiences at Forest Play and interpretive guiding this workshop will explore:

• How stories can be used to create powerful learning experiences.
• How you can use archetypes and life stage transitions to build meaningful stories
• How to rediscover a child-like passion for the natural world
• Essential routines that ground and reconnect us with the natural world

Dave Verhulst

Dave believes the natural world is one of our most powerful teachers and mentors. Through sharing stories and experiences in the landscape, he helps children and adults develop a strong connection with themselves and nature. In 2011, he co-founded Forest Play in Canmore based on Forest School models and the 8 Shields Mentoring Model. With over 20 years professional guiding experience, Dave facilitates programs for children ages 4-14. Dave is the proud father of 2 girls and enjoys many outdoor adventures with his family.

Lunch time! Lunch will be available at the church.

Rediscover Your Wildhood - Finding Joy, Connection and Healing in Nature

This session explores the physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits of engaging with nature, emphasizing how outdoor spaces foster healing, resilience, and emergent learning. We’ll also hear an inspiring story of a family who chose the wilderness to heal their trauma and rebuild their bond, revealing the profound effects that nature can have on family dynamics, emotional well-being, and mental health. Attendees will leave with simple yet powerful ways to bring more intentional nature time into their lives and find more joy, connection, and healing.

Sarah Reader

Sarah Reader developed a love of nature and outdoor play while growing up in the Yukon Territory. With a Bachelor’s of Physical Education from the University of Alberta, she has 15 years of experience managing recreation programs for all ages in the foothills. As an instructor at Bow Valley College in their Early Childhood Education Diploma program and the owner of Playful Adventures, she is passionate about bringing unstructured, risky play back into school and recreation programs. A High Five facilitator and international speaker, she helps people connect and build better health through time outdoors.

Empowering Play: Creating a ‘Yes’ Environment and Embracing Weapon Play

This session highlights two key elements of outdoor play that nurture children’s social and emotional growth. It focuses on creating a ‘yes’ environment that fosters independence, creativity, and resilience by balancing freedom with safety. Drawing from Heather Shumaker’s work, participants will learn how to empower children’s decision-making. The session also explores weapon play, where imaginative use of stick swords or toy guns helps children process emotions, build empathy, and develop conflict resolution skills. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to create engaging, child-led learning experiences.

Shelley Bettker

Shelley Bettker, founder of Explorer’s Forest School and TimberNook Saskatoon, is an expert in outdoor play and a champion of child-led learning. With a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan and certified as an Early Childhood Educator Level 2, Shelley works with children ages 1 to 13, cultivating curiosity and a sense of wonder through hands-on, nature-based experiences. As a certified Forest & Nature School Practitioner and a TimberNook Certified Teacher and Provider, Shelley specializes in outdoor play, sensory integration, and child development. She is dedicated to promoting the importance of outdoor play for children in all types of weather and natural environments.

Neighbourhood Walking Trips: Powerhouse Early Learning Experiences

Young children are keen and eager to learn about their world, and the internet can provide a never-ending supply of instructional resources to teach all about it. What almost all of these resources are missing is... personal experience and context! In the offline world, a child's local surroundings hold endless developmentally appropriate learning opportunities, and we have the privilege to facilitate them for children. Join Jenn and learn how to begin educating through your local surroundings! *This session includes light walking.

Jenn Doeve

Jenn is a former bilingual teacher and the founder of Yellow Steps, where she designs and facilitates place-based school residencies. Born and raised in Calgary, her local residencies reconnect students and teachers to their surroundings, creating shared learning experiences that are memorable, meaningful, and aligned with curriculum outcomes. In her free time, Jenn loves trying new recipes, reading about local history, and adventuring with her family.

Children and Labyrinths

This session will begin with my story and experience with the labyrinth, followed by a brief history. Educators will learn how to introduce children to the labyrinth, including benefits and research. Participants will set up and walk a portable rope labyrinth, then gather in a circle to reflect on their experiences. Building a labyrinth outdoors and incorporating nature connection activities will be included.

Sarah Lyon

Sarah Lyons became a certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator in 2017.  She holds a Masters degree in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling from the University of Cambridge, with a distinction for her dissertation on eco-psychotherapy.

As a mother and grandmother, Sarah uses her professional skills and life experience to help children thrive. She advocates for self-care and believes in the importance of time and attention for healthy connections.

Based near Bragg Creek, Sarah combines her passions for the labyrinth, psychotherapy, spiritual direction, and nature to guide others toward greater awareness.

Blackfoot Creation Stories

The Blackfoot people have stewarded this land since time immemorial. Crystal will discuss the origin of the Blackfoot people through the Creation story and the time when Napi (Old Man) lived on the land.  Hear the story of Napi and the Rock, the Celestial Sky Beings, the dinosaurs (grandfathers to the Buffalo), and many more.

Crystal Many Fingers

Crystal Manyfingers is the daughter of Dr. Helen and Wallace Manyfingers and the mother to Patricia and Alexander Soop.  Her tri-pod family have lived in the City of Calgary (Mohkintsis) for over 25 years.  Crystal and her family are all members of the Kainai Nation of the great Blackfoot Confederacy who signed Treaty Seven in 1877.

Crystal holds a B.A., B.Ed., and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Calgary.  She has been involved in the field of Indigenous and Adult education for many years. She has written numerous magazine articles, published a children’s book and was a TedX speaker in March of 2020.

Exploring the Fence as a Play Provocation in Early Learning Settings

In this hands-on workshop, you will discover innovative ways to use the fence as a dynamic and engaging provocation in early learning environments. Often seen as a boundary or barrier, the fence can be a powerful tool to inspire creative play and spark curiosity in young children. We will explore transforming the fence into a rich, playful environmental asset. This workshop will also highlight the importance of open-ended materials, the use of reflective practice, and the role of the educator in planning and offering play provocations.

Jennifer Usher

Jennifer Usher is the Program Coordinator and a full-time instructor for Medicine Hat College’s Early Learning and Child Care program. She participated in a pan-Canadian Outdoor Pedagogy ECE Faculty Research Project led by Dr. Beverlie Dietze. Motivated by this work, Jennifer now teaches Outdoor Pedagogy in Early Childhood, which uses the outdoors as a classroom. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Alberta with her Master in Elementary Education with an early learning focus.

Move and Play Outdoors: Practical ideas and stories from a physiotherapist

As a physiotherapist, I understand the importance of gross motor skills and believe the outdoors provides endless opportunities for children to develop these skills in ways that indoor environments often can't.  In this interactive session, I will draw on my experiences working with children to share inspiring stories and practical ideas for enriching gross motor play outdoors. You will leave with a wealth of  inspiration to implement in your own setting.

Leah Wetter

Leah has been a pediatric physiotherapist for 20+ years, including currently working at Calgary Youth Physiotherapy. She has observed that kids thrive when they are wild and free playing, exploring and learning in nature. In her role at Nature Play, Leah is excited to use her experience as a physiotherapist in the outdoors with her clients and families. Leah and her husband, Patrick, love exploring the outdoors with their 4 kids, including hiking, camping, biking, paddling and skiing.

Unleashing Potential: Using Outdoor Play to Support Neurodiverse Development

Latest statistics are showing that approximately 15% of children in early learning programs are neurodivergent. Some may have a diagnosis but even more could receive a diagnosis later on. Chances are high that you will have multiple neurodivergent children in your class at any given time. It is important for schools and early learning programs to acknowledge neurodiversity and strive to create a learning environment that is inclusive. How do we support neurodivergent children outside? This presentation will review some of the research supporting how neurodivergent learners benefit from outdoor play as well facilitate an open discussion about ways to make their classrooms and outdoor spaces neurodiversity affirming.

Abbey Massar

Abbey is a neurodiversity-affirming and play-based speech-language pathologist in her own private practice in Calgary, AB. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast and spends as much time as she can exploring the Canadian Rockies. Abbey has experienced the many benefits of spending time outside and is passionate about bringing this to her clients and their families.

The Role of the Educator in Outdoor Play

Playwork and Early Childhood Education have at their core a focus on play as the best way children learn and develop. Both fields can learn from the other about how to support play with children. In this session we will discuss and reflect on the role of the educator in supporting outdoor play that is meaningful and engaging for children. Our discussion will include perspectives from playwork, such as types of play and levels of intervention.

Lauren Turner

Lauren grew up on a farm in southern Alberta with endless, rich outdoor play opportunities.  In pursuing a Bachelor in Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Alberta, Lauren discovered the playwork perspective and decided to learn more.  Lauren worked for community organization supporting play after school, while also continuing her studies in Playwork at Leeds Beckett University.  Lauren's research focused on the playwork perspective in out-of-school care in Edmonton. Lauren currently teaches at Norquest College in Early Learning and Child Care.

Do we need a forest? Outdoor pedagogy with limited access to natural spaces

Nature isn't limited to physical spaces; it is a mindset of relationships, curiosity and exploration.  This session will address the challenge of offering nature based programming when natural settings are inaccessible or limited.  Participants will redefine their perception of nature and will get creative with resources to foster core principles in forest school pedagogy of relationships, connection, curiosity and exploration.

Monique Lozeron

Monique Lozeron is a passionate advocate for physical literacy, play, and outdoor nature programming. Her enthusiasm, positivity, and open-minded approach deeply influence her work with children and co-workers, inspiring educators and parents to reconsider and reframe their perspective on adult-child interactions. With a BPE in Adapted Physical Activity, Monique encourages a holistic view of physical engagement and learning.

She is a self-proclaimed ‘spreader of joy’, residing on Treaty 6 Territory in Alberta, where she enjoys adventures with her husband and two young children while embracing nature and outdoor activities.

Wrap-up and prizes!

Join us at the church to wrap-up our day together. We have some amazing draw prizes and you have to be there to win!

**These are optional workshops** Registration for these sessions is separate from the main conference. Stay tuned for registration if you are interested in longer and deeper workshops with these three presenters.

The Power of Storytelling: Inspiring Outdoor Play Through Stories

This engaging session explores the power of storytelling as a tool to enrich outdoor play, foster learning, and deepen connections with children. Participants will discover practical strategies for captivating kids with storybooks, crafting oral tales, and incorporating props to spark imaginative play. By the end, everyone will feel confident in using voice, expression, and pacing to tell compelling stories, and will gain skills in bringing stories to life with puppets and props!

Shelley Bettker

Shelley Bettker, founder of Explorer’s Forest School and TimberNook Saskatoon, is an expert in outdoor play and a champion of child-led learning. With a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan and certified as an Early Childhood Educator Level 2, Shelley works with children ages 1 to 13, cultivating curiosity and a sense of wonder through hands-on, nature-based experiences. As a certified Forest & Nature School Practitioner and a TimberNook Certified Teacher and Provider, Shelley specializes in outdoor play, sensory integration, and child development. She is dedicated to promoting the importance of outdoor play for children in all types of weather and natural environments.

Forest Play: Learning Inspired by Curiosity

Rediscover your childlike passion for the world and join us for a fun session of exploring nature and building connections. Grounded in the rhythms of the natural world, Forest Play is a successful outdoor program in Canmore with programs for children age 2-14 years old. In this experiential session Dave will share some of the core elements of the program that help children connect to nature, self and others.  In this workshop you will:

• rediscover a child-like passion for the natural world
• experience what it is like to participate in a  program based on the Coyote mentoring model
• be introduced to the natural learning cycle and essential routines that ground and reconnect us with the natural world
• understanding of how stories can be used to create powerful learning experiences.

Dave Verhulst

Dave believes the natural world is one of our most powerful teachers and mentors. Through sharing stories and experiences in the landscape, he helps children and adults develop a strong connection with themselves and nature. In 2011, he co-founded Forest Play in Canmore based on Forest School models and the 8 Shields Mentoring Model. With over 20 years professional guiding experience, Dave facilitates programs for children ages 4-14. He also facilitates leadership programs for the Pacific Centre for Leadership and the Banff Centre. He has a Master's Degree in Recreation Management, is an accredited Master Interpretive Guide. Dave is the proud father of 2 girls and enjoys many outdoor adventures with his family.

Breathe with Trees

Come and experience a Forest Bathing Walk to promote and support your personal well-being, followed by time to learn ways and strategies to provide this practice for children.Forest Bathing, also referred to as “forest therapy”, is a practice grounded in research that supports health and wellness through guided experiences in forests and other natural environments. You will be guided through a sequence of invitations designed to help your body and mind slow down, tune into your senses, and experience the environment in a way that supports you to deepen your connection with the natural world as well as yourself. It’s an ‘invitation’ to step away from the chatter in your mind and simply show up in the moment resulting in an overall sense of well-being. Ongoing research continues to reveal scientific evidence for what many of us have intuitively known: spending time in nature is good for us.

Christine Jenik

Christine Jenik is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and the Prairie-Mountain Rep for the NFTC (National Forest Therapy Canada). Before becoming a Forest Therapy Guide, Chris was a teacher and school administrator with the Calgary Board of Education for 34 years. She has facilitated outdoor environmental programs for schools in Canada and the United States.

After retiring she did the training with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy to become a certified Forest Therapy Guide. One of her main goals was to offer Forest Therapy/Bathing walks to schools and school boards, knowing the stress and pressures that educators deal with daily, along with the mental health concerns that impact students. Chris believes that nature continuously provides lessons, inspiration and support.