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What to bring more nature experiences to the children in your life?
Wildwood Nature School’s founder and lead teacher, Nicole Fravel, believes that all children benefit from time to play in and interact with nature. She wants to help parents, caregivers and teachers provide natural learning opportunities for children and is available for workshops, staff development, parent discussions and program consulting. Whether you have access to a forest or an urban asphalt playground, it is possible to bring the benefits of nature play to children, and Ms. Fravel can help you toward that goal.
Ms. Fravel prefers hands-on, working sessions as it is the best way for both children and adults to learn new information. However, she can adapt presentation length and structure to your needs and specific situation. Potential topics are listed below, and additional topics can be customized by request.
Available Workshop Topics
- Sit Spots for Observation and Reflection – Sit spots provide a good starting point for teachers and classes wanting to try nature-based learning because they require no set up, equipment or specialized knowledge. Learn how to use sit spots to connect children to nature. See examples of how storytelling, mapping and journals enhance sit-spot observations and brainstorm ways to make sit spots meaningful to the group of students you teach.
- Natural Art – In the process of creating art from natural materials, children learn about and to appreciate the wonders of nature. Get simple and engaging ideas for process art made from materials easily scavenged during outdoor walks.
Natural Math – Math is part of the beauty of the world that surrounds us – in the symmetry of a butterfly’s wings, the intricate pattern of a snowflake, or the way gravity takes a pebble down a hill. - In this participatory workshop, you will learn open-ended activities to help your children explore numbers, geometry, patterns, weight, and time while creating their own pieces of beauty.
- Into the Woods – How do you keep children engaged during hikes? Learn strategies to guide nature walks, scavenger hunts ideas and games to play to guide children on hikes and observation in forests or just a walk around the neighborhood.
- Gardening with Children – Gardening doesn’t take a lot of space or expertise, is easy to maintain and rewards children with flowers, fruits or vegetables they can call their own. There are all different types of gardeners and all different types of gardens. Learn the keys to setting up and maintaining a successful kids’ garden and discover many different ways the garden can be a springboard for development.
- Design Consultation – Have you been wanting to bring more natural items into the classroom or to redesign a hardscape playground to highlight more natural play but don’t know where to start? Nicole can help you bring water, mud, sand, natural art and/or outdoor natural elements to your facility.